Monday, March 23, 2026
ADVT 
National

Voting begins in NDP leadership race, Singh's successor to be named March 29

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 09 Mar, 2026 11:00 AM
  • Voting begins in NDP leadership race, Singh's successor to be named March 29

Voting began Monday in the federal NDP leadership race, with a March 28 deadline for party members to cast their votes.

A party official says 100,000 members are eligible to vote in the election.

In the 2017 leadership race, which was won by Jagmeet Singh on the first ballot, the party had just under 125,000 members eligible to vote.

During the 2012 leadership contest, won by Tom Mulcair, the party had more than 128,000 members eligible to vote.

There are five candidates in the current race: union leader Rob Ashton, social worker Tanille Johnston, filmmaker Avi Lewis, Alberta MP Heather McPherson and farmer Tony McQuail.

Lewis is far and away the fundraising leader in this race. Interim financial returns filed to Elections Canada show his campaign has collected more than $1.2 million from more than 10,000 contributors.

McPherson saw the second largest share of donations — about $560,000 from 3,800 contributors, based on her interim returns.

Ashton has raised just shy of $357,000 from about 2,000 donors. Returns for the Johnston and McQuail campaigns are not yet publicly available.

McQuail told The Canadian Press Monday that his campaign has raised about $150,000 from about 1,000 donors. He described the support as "incredibly generous."

The Liberal party said nearly 400,000 members were eligible to vote in the two-month-long 2025 leadership contest that made Mark Carney prime minister.

The Conservatives had 675,000 eligible voting members in the 2022 contest that ended with Pierre Poilievre as leader.

The results of the NDP leadership contest will be announced on March 29 during the party's annual convention in Winnipeg.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. bill that would have stopped doctors from providing puberty blockers defeated

B.C. bill that would have stopped doctors from providing puberty blockers defeated
A British Columbia private member's bill that would have given parents the right to sue doctors up to 25 years after they provided care for transgender children has been voted down in the legislature even before making it to first reading.

B.C. bill that would have stopped doctors from providing puberty blockers defeated

City councillor, social worker Tanille Johnston running for NDP leadership

City councillor, social worker Tanille Johnston running for NDP leadership
Tanille Johnston, a social worker and city councillor for Campbell River, B.C., has launched her bid for the federal NDP leadership.

City councillor, social worker Tanille Johnston running for NDP leadership

Those in Canada with loved ones in Middle East hopeful about Hamas-Israel peace plan

Those in Canada with loved ones in Middle East hopeful about Hamas-Israel peace plan
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a first phase of a plan that will see Hamas release the 20 living hostages while Israel pulls troops back to an agreed-upon line.

Those in Canada with loved ones in Middle East hopeful about Hamas-Israel peace plan

Senate debates bill to add warning labels to alcohol packaging

Senate debates bill to add warning labels to alcohol packaging
The Senate is studying a bill that proposes adding cancer warning labels to alcohol packaging.

Senate debates bill to add warning labels to alcohol packaging

B.C. government experts including engineers, foresters expand strike provincewide

B.C. government experts including engineers, foresters expand strike provincewide
The union representing British Columbia's professionals, including engineers, foresters and geoscientists, says those members have joined public service workers in strike action across the province.

B.C. government experts including engineers, foresters expand strike provincewide

Labour expert questions why Alberta government delayed lockout of teachers

Labour expert questions why Alberta government delayed lockout of teachers
As an Alberta-wide teachers strike drags into its fourth day, a labour relations expert doesn't see why the group in charge of bargaining delayed their lockout.

Labour expert questions why Alberta government delayed lockout of teachers