Canada's Young New Democrats
| New Democratic Youth of Canada Jeunes néo-démocrates du Canada | |
|---|---|
| Co-Chairperson | Armaan Singh Ellen Li |
| Headquarters | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Ideology | Social democracy Democratic socialism |
| Mother party | New Democratic Party |
Canada's Young New Democrats (CYND) (French: Jeunes néo-démocrates du Canada (JNDC)), officially the New Democratic Youth of Canada,[1] are the youth wing of the New Democratic Party of Canada.[2] Any party member aged 25 or under is automatically a member of the CYND and is eligible to attend and vote in the youth wing's convention.[3] The minimum membership age ranges from 12 to 14 depending on the province. Additionally, some provincial branches of the YND extend membership eligibility up to age 30. The current co-chairs of the organization, Armaan Singh and Ellen Li, were elected during the 2023 Federal New Democratic Party (NDP) Convention, along with the rest of its executive.
The CYND is autonomous of the main party.[3][2] It sends its own delegates to the federal convention and council.[4]
Traditionally, members of the CYND have tended to be more ideologically driven than the rest of the party. Since Jack Layton took over the helm of the party in 2003, the youth base has grown and now incorporates a wider base of progressive youth.
The CYND typically elects its executives for two year terms at its own convention, usually held the day before the NDP holds its conventions.
Reaction to 2015 election loss and push for party renewal
In the lead up to the 2015 election, the CYND was openly critical of leader Thomas Mulcair for a statement where he expressed support for Israel in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and suggested his statements did not align with the NDP's policies and commitment to UN resolutions and international law.[5][6]
Following the NDP's loss in the 2015 federal election, which saw the NDP fall to 3rd, losing their status as Official Opposition, Mulcair faced a leadership review at 2016 convention in Edmonton. One month before, CYND members from two Montreal Universities published an open letter in Le Devoir calling on Thomas Mulcair to resign.[7][8] Pressure continued to mount on Mulcair when it was reported that NDP McGill had submitted a resolution to CYND convention that would urge all CYND member delegates to vote for a leadership race.[9]
On the eve of the Edmonton convention, the CYND published an open letter urging members to vote for party renewal, calling for members to "support a new direction, and a new style of leadership."[10][11] Some members of the CYND also spoke out about the need for party renewal throughout convention, organizing votes to trigger a leadership election.[12]
The vote on a new leadership race was supported by 52% of delegates, with Mulcair falling below the required 50% to stay on as leader, the first time in Canadian history that a leader of a political party had lost a leadership review.[13][14]
References
- ^ Constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada. New Democratic Party. 2018. p. 9.
There shall be an autonomous youth section of the NDP of Canada whose name shall be the New Democratic Youth of Canada and whose constitution shall not conflict with the constitution of the NDP of Canada.
- ^ a b Constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada. New Democratic Party. 2009. p. 11.
- ^ a b "Constitution of the New Democratic Youth of Canada". New Democratic Youth of Canada. 2006. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
- ^ Constitution of the New Democratic Party of Canada. New Democratic Party. 2009. pp. 5, 9.
- ^ "NDP's Youth Wing Chides Mulcair For Not Condemning Israeli Attacks In Gaza". HuffPost Canada. 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ Canada, New Democratic Youth of (2014-08-01). "NDP youth speak out on Gaza: 'It's time to call a spade a spade'". rabble.ca. Retrieved 2025-10-25.
- ^ "Quebec NDPers call for renewal ahead of Edmonton convention | The Star". thestar.com. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ "'Anger and despair': NDP McGill, Concordia call for Thomas Mulcair to quit". CBC. March 15, 2016. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ Mitrovica, Andrew (2016-03-18). "For Mulcair, the knives are already out". iPolitics. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ "We're young New Democrats — and we want our party back". iPolitics. 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ "NDP youth wing expected to seek new leadership". Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ Power, Samantha (2016-04-10). "New Democrats Say Goodbye to Mulcair, Vote for Leadership Change". The Tyee. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ Wherry, Aaron (April 10, 2016). "Rejecting Mulcair, NDP delegates vote in favour of new leadership race". CBC. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
- ^ "Tom Mulcair stepping down as NDP votes for leadership review | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2025-10-25.