Veteran B.C. MP and former federal NDP leadership candidate Nathan Cullen has endorsed Jagmeet Singh in the current race to pick a replacement for Tom Mulcair.<\/p>\n
Cullen, who represents\u00a0Skeena-Bulkley Valley in northern B.C., and Ontario MPP Singh made the announcement during\u00a0a Wednesday morning news conference in Ottawa.<\/p>\n
Cullen, who finished third<\/a> in the 2012 race won by\u00a0Mulcair,\u00a0said Singh has a broad appeal and strong social democratic values, while adding it was a tough decision with three other strong candidates in contention.<\/p>\n “We have a candidate here who \u2026 ticks all the boxes for me,” Cullen said.<\/p>\n “[He has an]\u00a0ability to connect with people [and] ability to hold policies he believes in and manifest those policies as opposed to just saying something to get elected.”<\/p>\n Singh said he has\u00a0been watching Cullen’s career and work with “incredible admiration,” and it’s an honour to have his support.<\/p>\n Singh and Cullen said they did not talk about Cullen getting a position in the party or certain policies promoted because of his endorsement.<\/p>\n Cullen says Singh ticks all the boxes<\/strong>1:51<\/p>\n As for comments from Mulcair, that it would be “a heck of a lot better” to have the next leader hold a seat in the House of Commons, Cullen said the party didn’t get out of the Ottawa bubble enough last election.<\/p>\n Singh has said he’s not concerned about not having a seat on Parliament Hill and that he can use the time to meet Canadians and rebuild the party’s support.<\/p>\n The first round of voting is underway.<\/p>\n Singh, Ontario MP Charlie Angus, Manitoba MP Niki Ashton and Quebec MP Guy Caron\u00a0are the remaining\u00a0candidates.<\/p>\n\n
New leader named in October<\/h2>\n