NDP leadership candidates are racing to meet the January 28 deadline to sign up members and raise the last of four $25,000 payments required to be on the ballot. This final push will determine which candidates have the necessary support to compete for the party's top spot. The outcome will have significant implications for the NDP's future direction and its ability to challenge other parties in the next federal election.
The candidates are taking different approaches to meet the deadline. Avi Lewis's campaign claims to have raised nearly $783,000 by the end of December, with an average of almost $8,000 in daily donations. The other candidates have not shared their preliminary fundraising data, but Heather McPherson and Rob Ashton's campaigns say they are confident they will hit their targets. Meanwhile, Tanille Johnston and Tony McQuail's campaigns have had to launch last-minute fundraising blitzes to stay in the race.
As the deadline approaches, observers are watching to see which candidates will emerge with the necessary support. Karl Belanger, a former NDP strategist, notes that while Lewis's fundraising claim is impressive, it's difficult to interpret without data from other candidates. The party will release individual candidate fundraising data in a financial report through Elections Canada later this winter, providing a clearer picture of the candidates' relative strengths.