Veteran NDP Member of Parliament (MP) Don Davies has been appointed as the interim leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada following the resignation of former leader Jagmeet Singh after the party’s disappointing election outcome. The appointment of Davies was confirmed by the party’s federal council during a special meeting, as reported by CBC and later officially announced by the party.
Expressing determination despite the election setback, NDP party president Mary Shortall emphasized the party’s unwavering commitment to advancing key issues such as public healthcare, affordable housing, job creation, and fair taxation for the wealthy. The decision to appoint Davies came after Singh lost his seat in British Columbia and promptly announced his resignation on election night.
With only seven incumbent MPs from a caucus of 24 returning to the House of Commons, the NDP faces the challenge of losing its recognized party status, impacting its participation in parliamentary proceedings. The party is now without additional resources for the leader’s office, research bureau, or guaranteed seats on standing committees.
Following a post-election caucus meeting to assess the situation and plan the way forward, the NDP’s constitution dictates that the federal council, in consultation with the parliamentary members, appoints an interim leader until a permanent leader is elected by party members. The interim leader does not necessarily have to be an MP.
While Quebec MP and deputy leader Alexandre Boulerice expressed interest in the interim leadership role, he ruled out running for Singh’s permanent replacement. The history of interim leadership in the NDP includes Nycole Turmel, who took on the role in 2011 following Jack Layton’s temporary departure due to health reasons.
Turmel, reflecting on the current electoral outcome, acknowledged the challenges faced by the party and highlighted the crucial role of the next interim leader in fundraising and facilitating a successful leadership transition. Despite the lack of official party status, she emphasized the significance of the NDP’s position in the minority government, suggesting a role in negotiations with other parties.
Gord Johns, the NDP’s sole MP from Vancouver Island, described the recent election result as challenging and emphasized the internal restructuring needed within the party to move forward positively.