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Some will argue for a longer, protracted competition. I will not be among them. Facing a minority parliament, as well as a cost-of-living crisis compounded by constant yet unpredictable threats from across the border, time is not a luxury we have. Canadians deserve — and New Democrats have a responsibility to deliver — a strong voice for working people in this country.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he will table a budget this fall. In the spring of 2026, he will table another. It is this second budget that will almost certainly include deep and painful cuts to health care, education and other programs, as Carney effectively stated in pre-election interviews were part of his plan. New Democrats need to be prepared to stand against such cuts and offer a genuine alternative to the Liberal-Conservative alignment that has become increasingly apparent with every vote in the House of Commons.

After such a difficult election, those who believe in the power of voices raised in defence of the environment, workers’ rights, Indigenous rights and a basic sense of fairness are looking for a party to champion their cause.

It’s been said that the quality of a government is determined by the quality of its opposition. Right now, in Canada, we are in desperate need of some quality control. To New Democrats — and to Liberals now reeling from Carney’s lurch rightward — you deserve a party rooted in care for one another and in practical, hard-won policies forged through grassroots collaboration with working people, Indigenous communities and local organizers.

New Democrats need to get on with the business of picking their next leader to give greater voice to that cause. Dragging this process beyond 2025 will only pull us out of the public eye and away from achieving our full potential to effect change.

In politics, there is little that’s under one’s control — “Events, dear boy, events,” said former British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan — but the one critical decision the NDP does control is how and when to choose its next leader.

A leadership race that begins soon and welcomes a strong field is necessary to contend with the urgent question of how best to represent Canadians currently feeling unrepresented. Minority governments are only ever a wobble away from falling. The NDP’s interim leader, Don Davies, and the caucus have done admirable work keeping the flame aglow. But this success is, by design, temporary.

I know from personal experience that a leadership race run with urgency can be of huge benefit and show Canadians the strength of our team and vision. That was the case after Jack Layton’s death in 2011, while the 2017 leadership race was long, unfocused and costly.

This time, we need a tight campaign and decisive vote to regain our energy and to focus our message and mission.

Carney is steering his party — and our country — toward deeper inequality. And Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre wants to take us even further off course. New Democrats must grab the wheel of progressive change. Let’s choose our leader this year, re-energize our grassroots and focus on fighting for what matters most: improving the lives of all Canadians.