Alistair MacGregor represents BC with Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians

Sunday July 12, 2026 | DUNCAN, BC [Posted at 4:27 pm PT] Editorial political analysis | by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends Alistair MacGregor was the NDP Member of Parliament representing the constituents of Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, from 2015 to 2025. In those 10 years he was part of the six-of-seven seat NDP stronghold on [...] The post Alistair MacGregor represents BC with Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians appeared first on Island Social Trends .

Sunday July 12, 2026 | DUNCAN, BC [Posted at 4:27 pm PT] Editorial political analysis | by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends Alistair MacGregor was the NDP Member of Parliament representing the constituents of Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, from 2015 to 2025. In those 10 years he was part of the six-of-seven seat NDP stronghold on Vancouver Island.

Last year, MacGregor took on the role of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for Cowichan Tribes. “I was recently invited to join the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians, and I have been elected to their Board of Directors, says MacGregor. He is listed on the CAFP website as the Director for British Columbia.

“Looking back, my time in the House of Commons, serving the wonderful people of Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, was an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life,” he said in a social media post today. “That’s why I’m incredibly grateful to be continuing in a role like this, strengthening my bond with former parliamentarians and contributing my experience in service to our most important institution of democracy in Canada,” said MacGregor. Ten years: Alistair MacGregor was a constituency assistant in a former MP’s office before being hand-picked by the late former BC NDP Party Leader John Horgan to move higher in the ranks.

He was first elected in 2015 to represent Cowichan-Malahat-Langford and then re-elected in 2019 and 2021, serving 10 years overall until being defeated by a Conservative MP in the federal April 2025 election. MacGregor was always even-tempered and thoughtful as an MP. He has a friendly way of engaging with people that produces respectful, enduring relationships with people in his community and clearly among his parliamentary peers.

In particular, his handling of the grocery pricing issue — including being part of inviting three grocery chain CEOs to Ottawa for a hearing — was recognized with respect by MPs on all sides of the House. MacGregor also worked hard on bringing forward a private members’ bill to establish a national brain injury strategy, which got full support across the House. Farming: MacGregor lives with his wife and daughters on a farm in the Duncan area.

When he didn’t win the 2025 election he eluded to how much more time he would now have with his young growing family. Born in Victoria and raised in Duncan, MacGregor is still only 47 years old, with many career years ahead. Future of the federal NDP: What this new appointment of MacGregor to a group of former MPs and senators signals, in part, that he may not see strong election opportunities for NDP candidates in future elections in the foreseeable future.

The Carney Liberal government has become focussed on military and defence as well as big-business style trade missions and economic progress for Canada. The NDP has a long road to getting back to having strong impact in the House of Commons. When the Writ dropped for the April 2025 election there were 24 NDP MPs in the House of Commons, but under Jagmeet Singh’s leadership and the forces of a sovereignty threat from the United States, it was a tough slog to maintain a ‘small but mighty’ NDP caucus.

After the Spring 2025 election there were seven NDP MPs. That number is now down to five (one floor-crossed to the Liberals and the other left for provincial politics). That leaves Don Davies, Leah Gazan, Gord Johns, Jenny Kwan and Heather MacPherson to keep the NDP presence afloat in the House of Commons in the current 45th Parliament.

The new party leader Avi Lewis is still learning the ropes of federal politics and is said to be needing to focus on fundraising for the party and getting known across the country, as part of rebuilding the federal NDP. It’s a long road, but five or 10 years from now Canada’s economy and place in the world will look much different than it does today. The role for the NDP in that recuperative journey to a future House of Commons is anyone’s guess.

===== RELATED: NEWS SECTIONS: FEDERAL NDP | EDITORIALS | DUNCAN-COWICHAN SUBSCRIBE TO THE ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS PREMIUM ENEWS