DEMOCRACY

To tackle our overlapping crises of climate change, racism and inequality, the people need real power.

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DEMOCRACY

To tackle our overlapping crises of climate change, racism and inequality, the people need real power.

Watch Video

VIEWS
250K

TWEETED BY
Jeremy Corbyn

VOICEOVER BY
Danny Glover

THE VIDEO

BACKGROUND

Winning system-level change means building power both inside and outside of the government.  

Inside the halls of power, we need social movement-backed candidates pushing bold policy solutions. Out in the streets, we build outside pressure through movements that are powerful enough to pressure governments to act.

We animated this “inside / outside” strategy of social change in a 2-minute video with Danny Glover, because we see it as a key approach to governing in the face of the climate crisis.  We simply cannot achieve the speed and scale of change we need without massive policy changes fueled by federal spending.

While The Leap was always a non-partisan project, it was never an apolitical one — The Leap Manifesto launched during a federal election in Canada, and we encouraged all parties to address its demands.  

In 2016, over a dozen riding associations brought resolutions endorsing The Leap Manifesto to the floor of the Canada’s New Democratic Party federal convention, causing a major rift within the party over the Manifesto’s line “There is no longer an excuse for building new infrastructure projects that lock us into increased extraction decades into the future,” which conflicted support for new pipeline projects.

In February 2018, we invited key organizers from Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn’s insurgent campaigns to deliver a message loud and clear to the NDP federal convention in Ottawa: radical politics are not a liability for the progressive left in Canada, but rather a path to power.

Courage to Leap, co-organized by The Leap and Courage, brought over 450 people together at the Museum of Nature in Ottawa — and over 5000 more via livestream — to share that transformative political vision and to experience first-hand the innovative mass organizing techniques that our friends in the US and UK have deployed to such thrilling effect.

In 2018, we organized against Doug Ford’s efforts to bring Trump-style politics to Canada. And in 2019, we pushed for the Green New Deal during the Canadian federal election, partnering with 350 Canada’s Our Time campaign on our coast-to-coast tour, and exploring each parties’ stance on the GND through the Change Everything podcast.

We’re proud that many of our team members have engaged in political organizing outside of The Leap, and gone on to political work afterwards. In 2020, our colleague Rajiv Sicora joined U.S. Congressperson Jamaal Bowman’s policy team, and in 2021, our co-founder Avi Lewis announced his intention to run in the next Canadian federal election.


Democracy (saving it, and ourselves)

The Leap


Are Leap movement and advisers to Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn crashing the NDP’s party?

The Toronto Star


Avi Lewis on a Green New Deal for Canada

CBC Radio

PODCASTS & VIDEOS

DEMOCRACY (SAVING IT, AND OURSELVES)

Our two-minute animation on inside/ outside power, voiced by Danny Glover and produced by Meta4 Films
The Leap

ELECTION 2019: RACISM WITH A SMILE

In a special mini-episode, Avi & Maya discuss the 2019 federal election in Canada and all the special moments of racism that it surfaced.
Change Everything Podcast, The Leap

DO THE GREENS HAVE A NEW DEAL? DISCUSS.

A 2019 interview with Canada’s Green Party federal leader Elizabeth May and Alex Tyrrell, the head of Quebec’s provincial (and openly eco-socialist) Green Party. The Green Party of Canada has seen a sudden surge in popularity — but can they really lead on the Green New Deal?
Change Everything Podcast, The Leap

THE NDP VS. THE GND

We talk to maverick NDP candidate Svend Robinson whether the party is capable of getting the Green New Deal right. We also touch on the NDP’s history and future of opening itself to the creativity and energy of social movements. Spoiler alert: it’s not always a pretty story.
Change Everything Podcast, The Leap

DOUG FORD’S REAL FRIENDS

The Leap’s Avi Lewis takes on Doug Ford’s faux populism.
The Leap

LEAP: THE NEW DANGER

Enjoy the greatest hits of conservative politicians’ attacks on The Leap Manifesto
The Leap

WEBINARS & EVENTS

TEN TAKEAWAYS FROM COURAGE TO LEAP

In February 2018, an overflow crowd gathered in Ottawa to hear organizers from the Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn campaigns and local allies. Here are ten key takeaways from the evening.
The Leap

AFTER THE BALLOT BOX ORGANIZING IN THE POST ELECTION MOMENT

Avi Lewis of The Leap, Democractic Socialists of America (DSA), Momentum UK, and newly elected Member of Parliament for Hamilton Centre, Matthew Green speak about organizing at the intersection of social movements and the electoral sphere.
The Leap

BOOKS & RESOURCES

RULES FOR REVOLUTIONARIES: HOW BIG ORGANIZING CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING

Becky Bond and Zack Exley

NO IS NOT ENOUGH

Naomi’s 2017 book talks about The Leap Manifesto as part of building a powerful YES.
Naomi Klein

CHAPTER 5: SYSTEM CHANGE ON A DEADLINE. ORGANIZING LESSONS FROM CANADA’S LEAP MANIFESTO

“Radical Realism for Climate Justice” Dossier
Heinrich Böll Foundation

MEDIA COVERAGE

AVI LEWIS ON A GREEN NEW DEAL FOR CANADA

In-depth interview on policy, politics, and The Leap Manifesto on CBC’s Front Burner.
CBC Radio

THE POLITICAL SIREN FINALLY BLARES FOR AVI LEWIS

Avi Lewis interview with Steve Paikin about his post-Leap shift into politics.
TVO

AVI LEWIS WAS RAISED IN THE NDP. AT 54, HE’S FINALLY READY TO JOIN THE FAMILY BUSINESS

Interview with Avi Lewis on the shift from The Leap to politics.
The Toronto Star

AVI LEWIS: YOU MEAN THIS ISN’T HOW TO KILL THE NDP?

A 2021 semi-mea culpa by Paul Wells on Macleans’ 2016 takedown of The Leap Manifesto.
Maclean’s

ARE THE NEW DEMOCRATS READY FOR AVI LEWIS’S LEAP NOW?

Interview with Avi Lewis on 2016 inter-party tensions around The Leap Manifesto in the NDP.
The Globe & Mail

POWER PLAY: AVI LEWIS TO RUN FOR FEDERAL NDP

Lively panel on CTV Power Play soon after Avi Lewis announced his candidacy for the NDP in 2021.
CTV News

AVI LEWIS TO RUN FOR FEDERAL NDP IN WEST VANCOUVER-AREA RIDING

Announcement of Avi Lewis’ run for the NDP in 2021.
The Globe & Mail

WE CAN STOP TRUMPISM FROM COMING TO CANADA

Op-ed by Rinaldo Walcott and Naomi Klein
The Toronto Star

ARE LEAP MOVEMENT AND ADVISERS TO BERNIE SANDERS AND JEREMY CORBYN CRASHING THE NDP’S PARTY?

Susan Delacourt discusses why the time is right for an injection of boldness and radical ideas into the NDP, and how Courage to Leap connects with global movements for political transformation.
The Toronto Star

WE’RE BRINGING THE SANDERS/CORBYN MOMENTUM TO CANADA

An op-ed by Becky Bond, Adam Klug, and Emma Rees on why they were excited about coming to Ottawa for Courage to Leap.
The Globe & Mail

CLIMATE CHANGE WON’T WAIT FOR POLITICAL CHANGE

Linda McQuaig writes on the Leap Manifesto and why Big Oil’s political power blocks government action on climate change.
The Toronto Star

NEW DEMOCRATS HEAR LEAP MANIFESTO PUSH ON EVE OF CONVENTION

Lee Berthiaume reports on the Courage to Leap event, and the challenges it posed to NDP convention delegates and the status quo in mainstream politics.
National Post

CBC NEWS: THE HOUSE WITH CHRIS HALL – PANEL – AVI LEWIS AND BECKY BOND

Avi Lewis and Becky Bond, a senior advisor to Bernie Sanders during his 2016 presidential campaign, discuss how big ideas are the key to success for the Left.
CBC

MARSHA DE CORDOVA, BECKY BOND, AND AVI LEWIS ON CTV’S QUESTION PERIOD

A lively conversation about the possibility of a progressive surge in Canada, and why some of the policies needed — stopping pipelines, free education, living wages — are not that radical at all.
CTV News

INSIDE THE LEFT’S RACE TO CAPTURE BERNIEMANIA IN CANADA

A critical analysis by Jamie Maxwell, evaluating the state of play on the Canadian left in relation to the US and UK.
Vice

SURPRISE, THE PUNDITS WERE WRONG: POLL SHOWS HUGE SUPPORT FOR LEAP MANIFESTO

Martin Lukacs’ cheeky 2016 response to new polling data in support of Leap Manifesto.
The Guardian

THE LEAP MANIFESTO AND THE NDP

Christo Aivalis examines The Leap Manifesto within the larger historical tradition of the NDP’s defining documents.
Canadian Dimension

LEAP MANIFESTO: NDP AGREES TO EXPLORE STAUNCH STANCE ON FOSSIL FUELS

Writeup of the drama at the 2016 convention when resolution in favour of the Leap Manifesto passed.
CBC

NDP SHOULD EMBRACE LEAP MANIFESTO, RIDING ASSOCIATIONS SAY AHEAD OF PARTY CONVENTION

Overview of the NDP’s “pipeline conundrum” leading up the historic 2016 convention.
CBC

NO, AVI LEWIS SAYS, HE’S NOT TRYING TO TAKE DOWN TOM MULCAIR

Video and written interview with Avi Lewis in the leadup to the 2016 NDP convention.
CBC

AVI LEWIS WANTS LIBERAL GOVERNMENT TO ADOPT PARTS OF LEAP MANIFESTO

Summary of Avi Lewis’ interview on CBC’s The House before the NDP convention.
CBC