On February 6, I began an article asking “Is Avi Lewis a war monger? Does he want to prolong the costliest proxy war in Canadian history?” The piece detailed Lewis’ support for sending arms to Ukraine and failure to mention Canada’s role in provoking the conflict by backing the 2014 coup, NATOizing its military and promoting NATO expansion eastward.

A slew of left Lewis supporters criticized me vehemently. One proclaimed that he regretted expressing opposition to the unelected three person vetting committee blocking me from the race.

But my criticism was morally correct and, despite howls to the contrary, strategically sound so I doubled down. On February 14 I published a piece that began “Yes, Avi Lewis is a ‘warmonger’. He’s more hawkish than Jean Chrétien on the NATO proxy war and has been silent on NDP militarism.” That article detailed many examples of Lewis going along with NDP militarism.

Once again left Avi supporters complained bitterly. A friend supporting Lewis publicly condemned me as a “fool”. Others denounced me as divisive. Even some supporters of my campaign criticized the use of the word “warmonger”.

But what did Lewis do?

On February 17 Avi posted to X “I don’t believe we need to spend 2% of our GDP on military spending, as we need that money for other things, including the climate emergency, which is costing us more money while destroying towns and filling our lungs with smoke. The idea that we should now move to 5% of GDP is a destructive and nihilistic fantasy, pouring fuel on the climate fire.”

Again, bravo Avi.

During the February 19 NDP leadership debate Lewis said what Mark Carney “wants to do is make us into a militarized petro state, a junior arms dealer on the world stage.” The day after the debate Lewis posted a clip from a post-debate interview in which he criticized the growth of military spending from $20 billion under Harper to $40 billion under Trudeau and now $60 billion under Carney who plans to more than double that number by 2035.

I’ll take some credit for these statements.

It’s unfortunate that left Lewis supporters turned their ire on me for challenging his militarism. Most of those who criticized me have ignored NDP defence critic Lori Idlout’s odious recent statement all but agreeing with Mark Carney’s new Defence Industrial Strategy designed to reach 5% of GDP on military spending. Those who condemned me have largely also ignored interim NDP leader Don Davies’ two weeks old statement effectively backing the purchase of nearly twice as many fighter jets as what Stephen Harper sought to buy.

The term “warmonger” may be inflammatory, but it stimulated a conversation on a largely suppressed topic and activists should focus on substance rather than pearl clutching. It’s a damaging reflex to defend the front-runner in a political race from substantive criticism, especially at a time when the left should be using its outsized leverage to shift the “Overton Window” in terms of what’s acceptable in mainstream left political discussion. After the leadership race is over, anti-war forces will have less leverage over Lewis or whoever wins. So now is the right time to press Lewis to take far stronger positions. Anti-war supporters of Avi (and others) should ask him, “do you support NDP members who’ve submitted a resolution to the convention calling to withdraw from NATO, yes or no?” He needs to answer that question on video.(While a “Canada out of NATO” is viewed as radical today, it’s but one step towards ending Canadian militarism and imperialism.)

It took many years of struggle to have the NDP adopt its first Canada out of NATO position. The party hierarchy suppressed multiple debates at conventions and expelled numerous members until finally in 1969 activists succeeded in passing a resolution calling for withdrawing from the alliance. During this battle activists likely labelled party leaders supporting NATO “warmongers” or “fascists” for suppressing discussion.

Recent gains on Palestine were made in part by activists who condemned the party’s anti-Palestinian positions, disrupted Jagmeet Singh’s events, promoted campaigns calling on the party to withdraw from the Canada Israel Inter-Parliamentary Group, etc. Bold statements and actions were central to pushing the debate forward.

It’s important for activists defending the front-runner in a leadership race of a party steeped in militarism and imperialism to recognize this. Don’t be scared of disruption and dissent. These are necessary unless you believe the NDP is perfect as is.

All anti-militarist Lewis supporters should demand he call for Canada to withdraw from NATO. It is the right position and more Canadians than those who voted for the NDP in the last federal election support it.

Taking this position would also prove Lewis is a leader with principles, not simply someone with a desire to win.