CALGARY—The collective crash-out of the Canadian political and news media establishment over Avi Lewis’ March 29 win in the NDP leadership race is giving me life.

It only took one ballot that garnered 56 per cent of the vote, and as CBC News noted, it was “a decisive victory that slightly outstrips what Jagmeet Singh won in 2017.” Alberta MP Heather McPherson walked away with 29 per cent of the vote, placing her second. With this victory, the NDP has let us know that they’re going all-in on democratic socialism, and moving away from the chokehold the consultant class has on the party. In addition, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew introduced himself on the national stage much like future United States president Barack Obama did at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Kinew, whose politics lie left of centre, is the most popular premier in the country at 61 per cent. There is a strong appetite for left-wing populism in Canada, which has not seen representation since before then-NDP leader Jack Layton.

Currently, there is no left-wing representation in mainstream political and media structures in Canada. The capture of the Conservatives by the far right, facilitated by Leader Pierre Poilievre, has pulled the Overton window in that direction. We now categorize Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney as the centre, when he’s a right-wing banker whose top priority is not Canadians, but Canada Inc. There is no diversity of thought here. Anyone who doesn’t pray at the altar of neoliberalism is labelled a kook, and publicly........

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