Avi Lewis told a roomful of university students in Ottawa last month that the federal government is not responding to the urgent needs of young people — in fact, he says, Prime Minister Mark Carney is actively sacrificing their futures for short-term profits.
The NDP leader addressed an audience of approximately 100 students at Ollie’s Bar on Carleton University’s campus on September 23.
Lewis marvelled at the packed room. “I thought the NDP club at Carleton would have just a few tables set up. No. This is the real thing,” he said.
The room was dimly lit and filled to capacity. Students packed into booths in the back of Ollies eager to get a chance to meet with the new leader.
Alec Saper, an English major at Carleton, said that he was glad Lewis was making the youth vote a priority. He said that he’s not a member of the campus NDP but was there for the chance to meet a federal leader to “soak it all in.”
Many students indicated that they were not very involved in politics but were grateful for the opportunity to meet Lewis.
This was the NDP leader’s first event on a university campus since winning the leadership race in March. Lewis credits a surge of youth involvement for his victory.
When he arrived, Lewis was greeted with chants from the crowd. “Didn’t you get the memo? Socialism is dead,” Lewis joked. “Young people are checked out of politics. What’s going on?”
Lewis calls on Carney to stop ‘building the wrong fucking things’
Lewis started his remarks by accusing Prime Minister Mark Carney of “flooding the zone” with news to avoid scrutiny, a term traced back to Donald Trump’s former advisor Steven Bannon to describe Trump’s method of overwhelming the media and opposition.
Carney, Lewis says, is copying the technique.
Lewis referenced statements Carney made on the Bloomberg podcast Mishal Husain Show. In the interview, Carney admits, “I don’t fully subscribe to this, but I see the effectiveness of the term they would use is flooding the zone, of doing multiple things at the same time.”
The purpose of the strategy, Lewis said, was “to keep us confused, to keep us trying to catch up with how fast they’re moving.”
“[Governments] are coming after everybody at once. That means there is only one struggle now; the struggle of workers, the struggle of students, the struggle of Indigenous communities.”
Lewis said that the Liberal government is hoping Canadians will not pay attention to the details of omnibus Bill C-39, which bulldozes over environmental protections and Indigenous rights. Indigenous leaders from across the country say they are now united in rejecting the legislation.
He described the legislation as capitalizing on Canadians’ desire for national projects, but this is building “the wrong fucking things.”
He lamented what he described as the government’s decision to turn its back on climate commitments, and not do more to alleviate the housing crisis, as more and more young people face an increasingly unaffordable future. Lewis called on the prime minister to invest in sectors of the economy, which “hold our communities together.”
Lewis says Canada should enforce ICC warrant against Netanyahu
Lewis was asked about a recent announcement that the foreign affairs minister was considering refusing to allow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to flyover Canadian airspace on his way to the United Nations summit. “We’ve been consistent in our position that he should not be allowed to access Canadian airspace,” he said.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Earlier this month, CBC reported that Netanyahu routinely takes a direct path through Canadian airspace when travelling to the United States despite the international arrest warrant that Canada has committed to enforce.
While posing for a photo with Lewis, a political science student at Carleton, Theron Hayward, unfurled an Israeli flag as the camera flashed. Hayward later posted photos of the incident online saying “Using free will to the best of my ability.” Hayward is a former member of the Carleton Campus Conservatives but recently left the organisation. The club emphasized that his actions were his own and are not representative of the campus conservatives.
Important event for local organizers
Kendall Clarke, co-chair of the campus NDP, said she is pleased that Carleton was the first university in Canada to have Lewis speak at a campus club event since the leadership race.
“Ottawa is a really good place to hold these types of political events,” said Clarke, “areas like Ottawa-Centre have very strong riding associations and strong volunteering in those riding associations.” Clarke added that campus clubs are an invaluable well of potential organisers for future campaigns and provide an opportunity to speak to youth demographics, which can otherwise be difficult to reach.
NDP has consistently polled best with youth between ages 18 to 34 since the 2025 election. One poll by EKOS has the NDP tied with the LPC for support among youth but averages across national pollsters consistently have the NDP polling at approximately 16 per cent with youth. Lewis called for unity between students, workers, and Indigenous communities.
“[Governments] are coming after everybody at once,” said Lewis, “That means there is only one struggle now; the struggle of workers, the struggle of students, the struggle of Indigenous communities.”
The event ran shorter than advertised. Lewis arrived 45 minutes late and had to rush out to an event on Parliament Hill immediately after. After his speech, he took photos and shook hands with students. Many had questions they wanted to ask the leader but did not get the opportunity to do so.
“While it’s unfortunate that Avi wasn’t able to stay the whole time, it’s great that we had him for the amount of time we did,” said Clarke.
NDP campus club organisers at both Carleton University and the University of Ottawa expressed an intention to invite the NDP leader back for additional events this year.
