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

High-risk sex offender Randall Hopley will live in Vancouver, police warn

High-risk sex offender Randall Hopley will live in Vancouver, police warn
Randall Hopley last gained the public's attention when he cut off his monitoring anklet and disappeared while on parole, only to be captured in Vancouver and sent back to prison. 

High-risk sex offender Randall Hopley will live in Vancouver, police warn

Environment Canada officials grilled on Canada's climate targets at committee hearing

Environment Canada officials grilled on Canada's climate targets at committee hearing
Prime Minister Mark Carney also eliminated the consumer carbon price on his first day in office, leading to questions about his government's priorities when it comes to fighting climate change.

Environment Canada officials grilled on Canada's climate targets at committee hearing

Search for missing five-year-old boy in southern Alberta enters third day

Search for missing five-year-old boy in southern Alberta enters third day
Darius is described as four feet tall with short brown hair, and he was last seen wearing a blue-grey hoodie and sweatpants.

Search for missing five-year-old boy in southern Alberta enters third day

B.C. Conservative Leader Rustad wins leadership vote, then kicks out Sturko

B.C. Conservative Leader Rustad wins leadership vote, then kicks out Sturko
Rustad acknowledged the decision to kick out Sturko would create "some risks," adding that she was an effective critic with friends in the caucus.

B.C. Conservative Leader Rustad wins leadership vote, then kicks out Sturko

CFIA says B.C. ostrich farmers must leave by Tuesday or face arrest

CFIA says B.C. ostrich farmers must leave by Tuesday or face arrest
RCMP and CFIA officials arrived Monday and served a warrant on the farm in southeastern British Columbia, where the owners have been fighting the cull order prompted by an outbreak of avian influenza that went on to kill 69 ostriches.

CFIA says B.C. ostrich farmers must leave by Tuesday or face arrest

Canada drops 2 appeals of U.S. anti-dumping duties on softwood lumber

Canada drops 2 appeals of U.S. anti-dumping duties on softwood lumber
The U.S. has long accused Canada's softwood lumber sector of violating rules on anti-dumping — flooding a market with cheaper, subsidized products to disrupt a domestic industry.

Canada drops 2 appeals of U.S. anti-dumping duties on softwood lumber