Sarah Jama announced today that the Ontario NDP will not permit her to be the party’s candidate in Hamilton Centre.
Jama was removed from the NDP caucus in October 2023 following her public comments and appearances following the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks that began the latest phase of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Since then, she’s sat in the Legislative Assembly as an independent. However, she has no speaking privileges following the Conservative government’s use of its majority to censure her.
Hamilton Centre NDP members, including MP Matthew Green, have campaigned to bring Jama back into the caucus.
Now, Jama will run as an independent.
Jama will be a formidable independent candidate with a high likelihood of winning.
Why Jama Should Win
She is a proven organizer, who created a robust independent riding association that is prepared for this race.
They have money in the bank, possibly over $100,000.
Her base is loyal, motivated, and will vote.
She enjoys strong support in many areas of the community. [And yes, strong opposition.]
The other parties are not mounting strong campaigns against her.
It will cost the NDP significant resources and money to compete against Jama.
The Independent Riding Association Has Tens of Thousands in the Bank: Can Spend the Limit
Following her removal from the NDP caucus, Jama created an independent riding association.
It raised $34,325.99 between November 29 to December 31, 2023.
It is very safe to presume Jama has the funds to spend the maximum permitted this election cycle.
Jama’s 2023 Hamilton Centre by-election financial return states the NDP spent $71,236.50 on items subject to the campaign spending limit.
[The 2022 general election return for then NDP leader Andrea Horwath states $91,582.28.]
[The 2022 general election spending limit for Hamilton Centre was $108,893]
She’s an Organizer, Her Base is Motivated, and Will Get Out the Vote
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: the person who gets the most votes wins.
Her independent riding association canvass teams are larger than those of the big three political parties. They have a robust list of identified supporters and opponents.
They will be able to get lawn signs deployed, volunteer signed up, get-out-the-vote (GOTV) lists ready, and easily be the most efficient campaign in the riding.
Liberals and Conservatives Barely Contesting the Race: No Competition is Another Factor
The NDP now needs to find a candidate and a campaign organization.
The Hamilton Centre “progressive-left” political machine that emerged between 2010 to 2014 is backing Jama.
This machine has won all the political seats in Wards 2 and 3. The public school board trustee seats, the city council seats, Jama, and MP Matthew Green were all elected with the backing of this machine.
This lack of an ‘establishment’ Hamilton Centre NDP machine is why the establishment wing was unable to block Jama’s nomination in 2022 when Horwath stepped down to run for mayor.
The Ontario Green candidate Lucia Iannantuono is running again, but the Greens lack the resources to out-campaign Jama.
Both the Liberals and Conservatives are parachuting in candidates.
Jama’s Support is Broader than Many Appreciate
During the warmer months of 2024, I observed Jama ‘on the street’ a few times.
One day, in particular, I stood with Jama on King Street East, between John Street and Hughson Street (in front of the former Cheapies) for about 20 minutes.
I was surprised by the number of people who stopped to converse and express their support for Jama.
‘Keep up the good fight,’ the ‘NDP no longer represents the working people,’ and ‘you are one of us’ were common statements.
They were people I have no recollection of meeting: Proverbial ‘everyday people,’ not ‘activists’ or ‘usual suspects.’
Lack of Competition is a Political Resource Calculation
Yes, Jama’s clear and strong stances on issues means many people have strongly negative views and options about her.
[A traditional columnist would use a term such as “polarizing,” then a few weeks later lament that politicians not have clear positions on the issues.]
It is a testament to Jama’s organizing ability that neither the Liberals or Conservatives are taking the obvious opportunity to run a contrasting candidate with a strong competition vision.
It remains to be seen if the NDP decides to allocate $150,000 (this includes post-campaign and exempt expenses) and campaign resources against Jama.
If I were placing bets, it be on them focusing their resources elsewhere.
Production Details
v. 1.0.0
Published: January 27, 2025
Last updated: January 27, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
Update Record
v. 1.0.0 original version
I am so glad I stopped donating to the ONDP when Marit Stiles violated our democratic electoral choice and booted the bravest, most conscientious member of her caucus. I’ve shifted my political donations to the Hamilton Centre Independent Constituency Association.
For my part I will not be supporting her in this election though I did in the last one.
My reasoning is the following. She stubbornly refused to abide by the requests of her party leader and the Legislature. She was well aware that the result of this would be her removal from caucus and sanction by the legislature thereby limiting her ability to be an effective representative for all of her constituents on the diverse issues effecting them. In so doing, in my opinion, she chose her own personal interests and emotions over her obligation to represent all of her constituents as an NDP caucus member which she was elected to do. In addition, it has been reported that she blamed a “ Zionist lobby” for pressuring the Ontario government to silence her in the provincial legislature. In my opinion, this was a most inaccurate and unfortunate statement not worthy of an elected official.
Well said. I could not have expressed my thoughts better than this. Thank you
I know she won’t win, but I am glad Lucia is running again. Hopefully she can at least bring some important issues to the table. In the by-election she proved to be the smartest candidate with the best plan. Unfortunately, those things do not have a chance against money.
While I might, as always, be wrong, Lucia seems to be a candidate who can potentially bring full on progressive (especially environmental) values to the table with lucidity as opposed to the left/right-wing strident anger tropes that Jama’s has seemed to play for years (which, while maybe well considered, sadly, don’t seem to play very well with the full electorate).
If you’re going to support/vote for a progressive “independent” why not support someone who might be a better achiever/communicator with a chance to remain in un-censured action for a full term?
I will not be voting for Sarah Jama.
Anyone who vows to “Globalize the Intifada” should not be representing Hamiltonians let alone anyone in Canada.
I’ll be voting ABJ, anything but Jama.
Quite frankly watching Sarah try to explain why she refused to apologize for her hurtful words towards Jewish people, only to turn it around and ultimately blame unnamed Jewish people for her removal from the NDP was disgusting.
I won’t vote her and her radical views.
Not sure when the people of this city will realize that they need someone that actually can work with all people and businesses (and their party) and not just tell anyone who makes over $80,000 a year, or doesn’t agree with them, that they’re the problem or a racist and need to pay more. You want your people to have better paying jobs and better services, than we need to expand that tax base instead of continuing to try and squeeze from the current one – and that’s all these NDP and NDP adjacent candidates do. Candidates like Jama just pander to the communities in most desperate need with promises of a better life at no cost to them, essentially praying on them and giving them false promises and hopes with short-term solutions that don’t actually solve the larger problems. It’s a self-serving cycle of creating dependants of the province that know to keep the hand that feeds them in power. It’s great she has the support of the homeless and those on ODSP and Ontario Works, but without the support of the people that actually get things done, she’s nothing more than someone that stirs the pot, and doesn’t actually get it done for ALL Hamiltonians.
It’s crazy that other political parties can’t even put up a half decent fight against her. The city continues to slip into worse and worse condition, and we continue to empower the same people with the same set of values between them and expect different results. What was the definition of insanity?
Jama (and her municipal cronies like Nann, and Cameron Krotch) do(es) not have the capability to fix the problems of this city. Look around Hamilton and ask yourself, do you want more of the same as the last few years?
Thanks Joey for this. I agree. People I’ve talked to have solid support for Sarah Jama. She has given people a voice. Outside of her position on Gaza, which has been amplified out of reasonable public discourse, her policies are sound and serve those who need help the most. Her analysis is spot on about where the problems lie.
It takes courage to withstand such constant and concerted vilification for sticking to your convictions. I’m impressed with Sarah’s strength and commitment to compassion.
Go Sarah!
Anyone who supports to defund the police has no place in politics. Others who come to mind, Nann, Kroetsch, Green, Dempty to name a few. And they all have one thing in common HCCI.
During the debate, Sarah talked about running as an Independent. Almost coming to the point of saying it is better than being in a party. If you read the comments on the YouTube video of the debate, her fans seem to have bought into this. So it seems its a win / win that she is no longer in the NDP.
My question is, does anyone actually believe that she will table motions to help the people of Ontario that will get passed? She boasted about tabling 20 motions in the last 2 years. Did any get through? If not, what exactly has been accomplished?
Our riding is facing housing poverty and an employment crisis. Jama ignored these issues instead focusing on the Israeli invasion of Gaza as a center piece of he work as an MPP. Which although its an important issue. It isn’t what she was elected to office to for. Her anti Jewish comments were also are very disturbing. Especially for Jews living in Hamilton and her riding. I voted for Jama in the last election and will not support her any longer. She was a major disappointment. She did nothing to address the real issues in her ward. Regarding poverty homeless affordable housing and joblessness.
If you actually look at what she’s done a lot of it is about supporting workers, affordable housing, public services like healthcare & education. Very little of what she’s done in the Ontario legislature has been related to Gaza in any way. Plus she has never been racist towards jewish people, speaking up for Palestinian civilians and criticizing the Israeli government/military is not bigoted or anti-semetic. Saying those is as ridiculous as saying criticizng terrible Muslim governmentslike Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates or Iran, makes a person an Islamophobe.
Look at the bottom of this page for example where she lists the motions she has moved recently.
Glad to donate the $200 Dougie wanted to bribe me with.
Glad to support a candidate with principled support for social justice.
Vote for that individual? No way!
Now, more than ever, SJ should not be representing our community. We have a responsibility to unite and uplift this community. She is a divisive figure, who only serves her own interests, as demonstrated by her many antics. What we need is a leader who can truly bring us together, someone who can raise our community to new heights. We need someone who will stand up for us — not someone who is distracted by those places so far from here, but whose mention, causes rifts in the fabric of this community. We are suffering from POOR LEADERSHIP, and she has been part of that problem, prioritizing power and creating empty promises that sound good in soundbites but are foundationless. What has she actually done for this community? We have NO VOICE in City Hall and NO REAL REPRESENTATION in the legislature. Right now, we are completely unheard and unrepresented, and that NEEDS TO CHANGE! We need real leadership that will address our community’s real problems, not focus on issues in other countries. We have plenty of challenges right here that require urgent attention. SJ will NOT GET MY VOTE.
Why would I want to have her as Premier when she is banned from chamber? And has not done anything but segregate the community further, causing nothing but grief for the average Canadian.
She is supposed to be our voice. And she won’t have a voice in chamber because she is banned. We need an MPP that can actively represent us properly and actually care about us instead of caring about people across the pond.
Won’t happen, but it would be nice to see the NDP-Sarah feud split the vote enough for the Green candidate to squeak past them. We need a change.