Avi Lewis Elected NDP Leader Amid Antisemitism Concerns

0:00It's March 30th. This is Toronto News today, powered by AI. AB Lewis just got crowned the new leader of Canada's federal NDP, winning handily on the first ballot at the party's weekend convention. This self-described anti-Zionist Jewish activist beat out a bunch of other candidates to take over from Jagmeet Singh, who's been out since last year. Singh stepped down after a rough election, where the NDP lost 18 seats, including his own in Burnaby Central, dropping them below official party. Status in the House of Commons, that flop came nearly a year ago, leaving the party scrambling for a fresh face. Canadian Jewish groups are sounding the alarm loud and clear. The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs called it a painful rupture, saying the NDP has drifted far from its working-class roots that Jewish. Canadians helped to build. They worry Lewis' views paint Zionism as ethnic cleansing, making Jews feel excluded, especially with anti-Semitism spiking since the October 7th. 20-23 Attacks.

1:01Other voices like Tapsick CEO see this as the NDP's final slide into irrelevance. Two fixated on overseas conflicts while Canadians deal with housing, crises, high groceries, migration, and crime. Beny Brith wants concrete plans from Lewis to tackle anti-Semitism in the party ranks. No word yet from Lewis or the NDP on these concerns. But as the dust settles, eyes are on how this leadership shift plays out amid rising tensions and the party's push to rebuild.