OTTAWA – Romeo Saganash has thrown his support behind Montreal MP Thomas Mulcair for the leadership of the federal NDP.
Saganash had been a contender for the party’s top job himself, but dropped out early last month, citing illness in his family and a lack of support.
The northern Quebec MP and Cree leader is the second former candidate to endorse Mulcair.
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Robert Chisholm, a former Nova Scotia NDP leader, dropped out before Christmas due to his inability to speak French; he endorsed Mulcair last week.
Mulcair is the presumed front-runner in the contest, which culminates at a March 24 convention in Toronto.
Six others are vying to succeed the late Jack Layton: former party president Brian Topp, Toronto MP Peggy Nash, Ottawa MP Paul Dewar, British Columbia MP Nathan Cullen, Manitoba MP Niki Ashton and Nova Scotia pharmacist Martin Singh.
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“Tom has shown throughout this race that he has the ability to bring progressive Canadians of all stripes together, united under the NDP banner,” Saganash said in a written statement.
“We can create the better country that we all seek and I have great confidence that Tom will lead us to victory in 2015.”
A number of Saganash’s top supporters, including his former campaign manager, have endorsed Dewar.
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