I stand fully behind these comments (quoted in full below). I don’t care that they don’t identify anyone specifically (and if you think it’s your candidate that is being criticized, I think you should be questioning your candidate).

A number of people are interpreting the statement as saying ” the next NDP leader should do the right thing even if it is unpopular.” That can be a consequence of what Gazan is saying, but it’s not the substance.

Gazan is saying that good leadership is substantial, not transactional. You don’t trade your principles for power.

For example, suppose your core belief is that society should be democratic (there may be deeper reasons for that, but suppose). This core belief requires that you accept the will of the people (fairly and freely expressed by a knowledgeable population) even if you disagree with what they’re decided.

What we liked about Jack Layton isn’t that he was always right, but that we was consistent. He held firm to some core principles (not especially deep principles, but we could get together behind “love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair”). What we didn’t like about Jagmeet was that he would pivot desperately to try to say in power.

This doesn’t mean never changing your mind. Argument and evidence should be able to sway you. But your core beliefs (ideally) are overwhelmingly supported by argument and evidence, so much so that it would be a seismic event were those core beliefs to be swayed.

There’s a good test to see if someone is leading on principle rather than opportunism: as them why they believe we as a society (or even as an individual) why we should do something. If the answer is vague and ad hoc or if it appeals to populism or slogan, it’s not based on principle. They’re following a flavour, not a philosophy.

(Here are Lean Kazan’s comments, quoted in full, because people shouldn’t have to go to Twitter to read them)

“Thoughts on the NDP

If you want to be a leader, you must serve something greater than yourself. Leadership is not a costume you wear when the cameras appear. It is a responsibility that demands integrity when no one is watching. Too many people lift up causes only to lift up their own careers, turning human suffering into a ladder. That is not leadership. That is exploitation.

We see it when Indigenous rights become a slogan instead of a commitment. We see it when human rights movements are used as props, stripped of truth so someone can look bold without doing the work. When movements are treated as convenient banners instead of responsibilities to honour, the people whose rights are on the line are exploited once again.

Oppressed people do not need a saviour. They need an ally. They need someone who understands that liberation is led by those who live the struggle, carry the history, and fight for their own futures. True leaders know when to step aside so the voices of the oppressed can rise. They know their role is not to speak over the movement but to create space, lend strength, and follow the direction of those who bear the weight of injustice.

Real leaders do not use movements as mirrors. They do not twist justice into a brand or turn community struggle into a stage. When a person treats a cause like a tool for privilege, they are not advancing liberation. They are reinforcing oppression.

Real leadership is humble. It listens before it speaks. It shows up when the spotlight is gone. It carries responsibility with care. It remembers that every cause is rooted in real lives and real pain.

If you want to lead, lead with purpose. Lead with courage. Lead with accountability. Rise with people, not on top of them.

Today my heart broke watching Parliament vote for Bill C12, a bill that violates international law and places women and children at risk. This government has done it before, most recently with Bill C5. Leadership requires courage even when you are one of the last people standing. You cannot pick and choose when to uphold human rights. You cannot tailor justice to your political or economic interests.

That is what I am looking for in the next NDP leader. Someone who rises to the moment even when it is not popular. Someone who understands that humanity depends on it. I have never cared much about my own power or privilege. I care about being on the ground with people. I care about being loyal without qualification to human rights.

That is the leadership our movement deserves.”)