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Few Canadians are familiar with possible NDP leadership contenders: poll

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Jul, 2025 09:40 AM

A new poll suggests most Canadians are unfamiliar with nine possible NDP leadership contenders.

A majority of respondents to the Research Co. poll said they "don't know who the person is" when asked about possible candidates like current NDP MPs Leah Gazan, Gord Johns, Jenny Kwan and Heather McPherson.

The same goes for other high-profile New Democrats like former House leader Ruth Ellen Brosseau, former Vancouver mayor Kennedy Stewart and filmmaker Avi Lewis. The poll also asked about former MP Nathan Cullen and Tony McQuail, an Ontario farmer who plans to enter the leadership race.

Brosseau got the most positive response in the poll, with 18 per cent of respondents saying they have a favourable view of her. Kwan, meanwhile, had the largest number of poll respondents saying they "definitely" or "probably" want to see her run for the leadership — a combined 22 per cent.

The poll is an online survey of 1,001 people conducted between June 30 and July 2.

The polling industry's professional body, the Canadian Research Insights Council, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.

On Tuesday, the party announced the formal launch of its "review and renewal" process after former leader Jagmeet Singh lost his own seat and resigned as leader in the April 28 election.

The process will be led by human rights lawyer and former Ottawa NDP candidate Emilie Taman.

The NDP lost official party status after being reduced to just seven seats in the House of Commons, five shy of the 12-seat threshold for recognition.

The party says the consultation stage of the review will begin "in the coming weeks" and include discussions hosted by local campaign teams, listening sessions with party leaders and one-on-one meetings with current and former MPs, plus key campaign staff.

Party members can also share their input through an online survey or by emailing the party. The deadline for these submissions is Sept. 19.

B.C. MP Don Davies is currently serving as interim NDP leader.

The party's national council has not yet announced rules for the leadership contest.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

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