New Democrats say they want leadership race rules to ensure multiple serious candidates, shorter contest

Globe and Mail

09-05-2025

Prominent New Democrats say they want to see new rules for the federal party's coming leadership race that allow for multiple serious candidates and ensure a shorter contest than in 2017, which stretched for more than a year.
Jagmeet Singh resigned as NDP leader after he lost his own seat in last month's federal election, triggering a race to determine his successor. The New Democrats were reduced to seven seats – five short of the threshold needed for official party status in the House of Commons.
Nathan Cullen, a former MP and British Columbia cabinet minister who finished third in the federal NDP's 2012 leadership race, says the party will have to find a middle ground in its rules.
'The party has to hit the right balance in making sure that you have serious candidates that are able to raise interest and money, but not so high that you reduce the field and exclude somebody who could turn out to be an outstanding leader,' Mr. Cullen said in an interview.
He said it's unlikely that he would jump into the race this time around, but he's leaving the door open to the possibility.
'My inclination is to say no,' he said, though he also heeds late NDP leader Jack Layton's advice to never say never.
Lucy Watson, the party's national director, said in a statement this week that the federal council would meet 'in the near future' to lay out a plan for a leadership race.
MP Don Davies, who has been named interim leader, pledged to have a through review of the election result and an 'open grassroots process' to shape the party's next chapter.
Former NDP MP Matthew Dubé echoed Mr. Cullen on the race rules, adding that he also wants to ensure the grassroots are engaged. He also said the next leader needs to be able to speak French.
'There needs to be a base level ability to communicate with francophones and the membership in Quebec and in francophone ridings,' he said.
The party needs this race to increase membership throughout Canada and bolster engagement, said Kathleen Monk, who was Mr. Layton's director of communications.
The specifics of the rules will help determine the overall number of candidates who jump into the race. The 2017 contest, which Mr. Singh won on the first ballot, had an entry fee of $30,000 and a campaign expenses limit of $1.5-million.
Ms. Monk said she expects the entry fee to be significantly higher this time around – at least $150,000 – with a portion of that being refundable.
Candidates need to be able to inspire people to donate, she said, and not be afraid of fundraising. The $150,000 amount is about the amount someone should be able to raise for their riding, she said.
She added she hopes the overall expense limit will be around $1.5-million.
The race should also include a regional overlay in voting, such as the points system the Liberals and Conservatives have used, Ms. Monk said.
In those cases, each riding is assigned 100 points that are distributed based on the percentage of each candidate's support. A candidate needed to win at least 50 per cent of the points to be crowned victor. The system is meant to ensure support from around the country, rather than just selling numerous memberships in a certain area in order to win.
Mr. Cullen said he generally agrees with the system, but noted the slight downside is that the vote of a person who lives in a riding with fewer members has more influence than the vote of someone who lives in a riding with many.
Length will also be a key consideration for the NDP's federal council. The last leadership race was more than a year long, from July, 2016 to October, 2017, while the 2012 contest was about six months.
Brian Topp, a former national campaign director and party president who came second in 2012, said he hopes the party will hold a shorter race this time given the instability of a minority Parliament.
'Having been in one, I can say that a certain point the campaign isn't adding any value anymore,' he said. 'The members have heard [from] all the candidates, they've made their decision. Everybody's just waiting for the vote.'
National campaign director Jennifer Howard said in an interview last week that she personally hopes for a shorter race because it can be difficult for the party to get its important work done without a permanent leader.
'We all want to see a leadership race that is healthy and well-contested and allows people to have a good, frank exchange of ideas,' she said.