Tony McQuail says he is seeking the leadership of the federal New Democratic Party (NDP) becuase he is concerned about democracy, the environment, and economic fairness.
The longtime Lucknow area farmer and activist brings more than 50 years of experience in farming and over 45 years in political, environmental, and community work to his campaign.
McQuail said his campaign is rooted in grassroots engagement.
“It’s very much a grassroots campaign or maybe even a top-soil, sub-soil campaign because in many ways I’m not particularly well known,” he said.
Despite a relatively low national profile, McQuail has already secured over 85 nomination signatures and $17,000 in pledges. He is also creating dedicated websites for donations and memberships to broaden support. He needs to collect 500 nomination signatures from NDP members. He also needs to raise more money, as the NDP has set an entry fee of $100,000 for the leadership race.
Central to McQuail’s leadership bid is ensuring inclusive participation in the political process. He said representation is key, and Canada needs to create a functional democracy in which the majority is accurately represented in Parliament and Legislatures.
“Everybody needs to be at the table in proportion to how Canadians support them,” he said.
He emphasized that leadership should not only appeal to existing New Democrats, but also to voters who have disengaged from politics.
“I believe it’s not just about the current new Democrats who are going to decide who becomes the leader, but it’s the new new Democrats,” McQuail explained.
McQuail also highlighted a collaborative approach to tackling Canada’s challenges, focusing on environmental regeneration, economic fairness, and community engagement.
“We’ve got to recognize that we’ve got so much more in common and so much more to work together on than to fight about,” he pointed out.
The 73-year-old will rely on his background as a holistic management certified educator to guide his campaign’s vision.
“There we talk about creating a holistic goal that talks about the quality of life we want, the kind of future vision we have and the things we need to do to go to support the quality of life now and to get to that future vision,” he said.
Rejecting the confrontational rhetoric often seen in politics, McQuail stressed practical action and collaboration.
“I hear too many times people saying, you know, we’re going to fight for you or we’re fighting for you, but I am not interested in fighting," he shared. "I am interested in working for the kind of community I want to leave to my children and grandchildren."
McQuail's platform emphasizes sustainability, regenerative practices, and long-term planning. He said his campaign seeks to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and other environmental challenges while building a fairer economy.
He added that unchecked economic growth is taking a heavy toll on the environment.
"We've grown ourselves off our our place in the planet and unfortunately it's not just impacting us a shuman beings who made the choices, it's affecting the whole web of life on the planet and certainly it's something I see on my farm," he added
"Instead of talking about growth as a good thing. We don't talk about boy I wish which that cancer would grow," McQuail continued. "Our economy has basically now become a cancer on the ecosystem and we need to start thinking about what's enough. How do we start to degrow the economy. And instead of talking about growth, how can we talk about sharing, so that we balance things out and people have enough."
McQuail added that perpetual growth encourages destructive choices for the planet, and said it's time to redesign the system and talk about how to create a distributive economy. He said our current economic thinking is delusional, but leaders are in denial, acting as if nothing has to change.
McQuail is encouraging Canadians to get involved in his campaign. Supporters can connect through his website, http://www.tonymcquailgreenprogressive.ca
His campaign aims to build a coalition of New Democrats, former voters from other parties, and concerned citizens united around long-term solutions for the country’s most pressing challenges.
