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Rob Ashton
Canadian trade unionist and NDP leadership candidate From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Robert Tyler Earle Ashton is a Canadian longshoreman and labour union leader who has been the president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Canada since 2016. A member of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Ashton is a candidate in the 2026 leadership election.[1][2]
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Early life and career
Ashton worked as a longshore worker for decades and rose through union ranks, including service as a business agent for ILWU Local 500 and later as vice president of ILWU Canada, before being elected president in 2016. In testimony to the House of Commons in 2024, he described ILWU Canada as representing roughly 16,000 workers across British Columbia and Saskatchewan.[3][4][5]
Political career
On October 1, 2025, Ashton launched his campaign for the federal NDP leadership, positioning himself as a "working-class" candidate focused on affordability, labour rights, and rebuilding domestic industry, including Canadian shipbuilding.[1][4] He has argued the party should "put workers back in charge" and increase taxes on the wealthy.[6][2]
Ashton participated in the first leadership forum hosted by the Canadian Labour Congress on October 22, 2025, alongside Avi Lewis, Heather McPherson, Tony McQuail and Tanille Johnston.[7][8]
The party has scheduled the leadership vote for March 29, 2026, at its national convention in Winnipeg, following a campaign that began in September 2025.[9][10][11]
Political positions
In interviews and campaign materials, Ashton has emphasized re-centring the NDP on its labour base, taxing the wealthy, and expanding good-paying jobs in domestic industries such as shipbuilding.[1][6][2]
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References
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