Charlie Angus from the NDP speaks to reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday, October 17, 2023. The Canadian Press
Former MP Charlie Angus has called the last election a complete disaster for the NDP. He said the party lost touch with everyday people and focused too much on its leader. Speaking in Ottawa on Wednesday, Angus said the NDP needs to reconnect with its roots and listen more to regular members.
He shared his thoughts after talking with many supporters during the election campaign. Angus believes the party has moved away from its values. “We became a leader-focused group, not the New Democratic Party of Canada,” he said.
He added, “We must be a democratic party that grows from the grassroots. We need to re-engage and admit we lost our way.”
NDP Records Worst-Ever Results
In the April 28 election, the NDP had one of its worst outcomes ever. It won only seven seats and lost its official party status. Jagmeet Singh, who was the party leader, also lost his seat in British Columbia.
Angus did not contest the election. He had represented Timmins—James Bay since 2004. After a redrawing of the map, the area grew larger, and a Conservative candidate won there in April.
Angus confirmed he has not spoken to Singh since the election.
Party Leaders Respond to Criticism
Interim NDP Leader Don Davies agreed that the election was difficult. However, he did not believe the party had fully lost touch with voters. “The key is to have a real and honest conversation with our members,” he said. “We must find out where we went wrong and how to move forward.”
Davies stressed that different people may have different views. So, the party must hear from all sides before making changes.
NDP MP Leah Gazan also spoke about the poor election results. She called for an independent review. “We need to study what went wrong. I hope the party takes this seriously,” she said.
Angus Wants Focus Back on Communities
Angus urged the party to return to its old ways of connecting. He said the NDP spent too much time online and on social media. “We focused on TikTok likes. That doesn’t win elections,” he said.
He believes in-person meetings and local events matter more. “We built this party with simple bean dinners and real talks with people,” Angus said.
He criticized the use of too much data and virtual meetings, saying it made the party feel distant from regular voters.
Though he made these strong statements, Angus confirmed he is not planning to run for party leadership.
Angus Slams Trump Ahead of G7 Summit
Angus also commented on the upcoming G7 summit, which Canada will host soon. He criticized U.S. President Donald Trump, calling his leadership dangerous. He also took aim at Trump’s ambassador to Canada, calling him part of a harmful agenda.
“We’re not dealing with slow changes. This is full-on police state tyranny,” Angus said. He warned that Trump’s growing influence could threaten Canada.
