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The NDP leadership candidates are making their last pitch to party members before voting in the six-month campaign concludes later today.
Each of the five candidates will have time at the convention on Saturday to outline their vision for party leadership.
While there is a voting booth at the Winnipeg convention, voting opened earlier this month and many members have already cast their ballots.
The party’s roughly 100,000 members will pick the new leader through a ranked ballot system, where the first candidate to get more than 50 per cent support is the winner.
Former NDP strategist Marion Nader put it in stark terms. “It’s really a mammoth [challenge] right now,” emphasizing the top three candidates are “very strong individually.”
“What the member of the party needs is someone who can unify and bring all of the traits together…and rebuild the party will all the elements,” she added.
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The next NDP leader set to be announced Sunday morning and Nader said the process will play a part.
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“It’s a ranked ballot… you don’t win on the first ballot,” she said. “There is actually an opportunity for Heather or even Rob to take this leadership because of the way the system is done.”
“The most important thing is for the members to read the room, read the moment and pick a leader that is right for this time,” said Nader.
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles is scheduled to address the convention today, after Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew opened the gathering on Friday.
– With files from The Canadian Press
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