Edmonton MP Heather McPherson has kicked off her campaign for the leadership of the federal New Democratic Party.
McPherson made the announcement in front of a crowd of cheering supporters, including former Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley, in Edmonton on Sunday.
McPherson told them the NDP needs to be more inclusive instead of pushing people away.
The Alberta MP has represented the riding of Edmonton Strathcona in the House of Commons since October 2019.
She is currently the only NDP MP from Alberta and serves as the party’s foreign affairs critic.
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McPherson was re-elected last April, winning 47 per cent of the votes in the riding, handily defeating her Conservative and Liberal rivals.
In her speech announcing her leadership bid, McPherson took a shot at Prime Minister Mark Carney, calling him a Conservative prime minister in a Liberal jersey.
She pledged to make the NDP “a viable choice again,” but did not take any questions from the media.
Former leader Jagmeet Singh resigned following the loss of his own seat in the April election, when the NDP was reduced to seven seats and lost official party status.
Political activist Avi Lewis has also announced on social media that he is running, and B.C. labour leader Robert Ashton is listed as a candidate on the Elections Canada website.
The NDP will choose a new leader during a convention in Winnipeg in March, 2026.
— with files from The Canadian Press.
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