NDP candidate Joel Harden hopes to turn Ottawa Centre orange in the upcoming federal election.
Harden previously served as Ottawa Centre’s MPP from 2018 to March 2025. Harden said he wanted to make the jump to federal politics to ensure people in Ottawa Centre have a strong advocate on a national level.
“I think our country needs help,” Harden said. “We have some of the best ideas for the country here in Ottawa Centre and we need an MP prepared to fight for those ideas on Parliament Hill.”
Before politics, Harden worked as a researcher with the Canadian Federation of Students and served as the director of education with the Canadian Labour Congress. Harden also taught in the law and legal studies department at Carleton University.
The Charlatan interviewed Harden to discuss his campaign proposals on Canada and United States relations, housing and climate change.
Canada-U.S. relations
Harden said the NDP is ready to fight for Canada in a potential economic crisis.
“We [the NDP] have been talking about the perils of so-called free trade, otherwise known as deep corporate integration with the United States, for 40 years,” he said.
The NDP supports retaliatory tariffs and said they would use money collected from them to help workers in hard-hit sectors like auto manufacturing, steel and aluminum. The party also plans to block U.S. companies from federal contracts when Canadian workers are available. The New Democrats also want to exempt Canadian-made vehicles from the GST.
“What I want to see as a part of a new industrial strategy which has a green sustainable value at the heart of it, is us using the talent and resources we have in Canada for the benefit of our people,” Harden said.
Housing
If elected, Harden said he would advocate for more affordable housing options in Ottawa Centre.
“The NDP wants a national federal public builder that will work immediately,” he said. “We need to build more non-market housing, co-operative housing and community housing to take rents down to a reasonable level.”
The NDP promises to redesign and double the Public Land Acquisition Fund, committing $1 billion over five years to develop more rent-controlled homes. The party also pledges to restrict corporate landlords, boost community housing and support at-risk construction projects to stabilize the housing market.
“We need a government that tenders with private sector partners in the public interest to build affordable housing at the best possible cost,” he said.
Climate change
Harden said he would advocate for strong climate action and hopes to increase funding for public transportation across the country.
“I’m promoting a plan in this election to put us on track to double public transit usage in Canada by 2035,” he said. “What that would mean here in Ottawa is an infusion of $170 million so buses aren’t canceled and fare prices can be lower.”
The NDP supported the removal of consumer carbon pricing and promises to keep the industrial carbon price. The party pledges to cut $18 billion in oil and gas subsidies, boost rebates for zero-emission vehicles and prioritize an east-west electricity grid.
Harden said he would like to see more work done to combat climate change between provinces.
“We need to work much more closely with our provincial neighbours in Quebec and Manitoba to import their cheap and emissions-free hydro electricity,” he said. “Instead of shipping our electricity to the United States, we can create partnerships between provinces.”
For more information on Harden’s campaign, visit his campaign page.
Featured image provided by Joel Harden’s campaign.
