Charlie Angus says NDP leadership not an ‘entry level position,’ endorses McPherson

OTTAWA — Former Ontario MP Charlie Angus says leading the party is not an “entry level position” as he endorsed Alberta MP Heather McPherson for the job.

Angus, who ran for the party leadership in 2017, made the statement in a video message that was shared with The Canadian Press before its release.

“Let’s be blunt. The last election was a catastrophe. I think it was a catastrophe that was 10 years in the making,” Angus says in the video.

“I ran for party leadership myself. I understand how complex it is to build a movement that is balanced across this country. I’m sorry, but that is not an entry level position.”

Angus said the party needs a leader who knows how to win and attract new supporters and McPherson has shown she can do that in traditionally Conservative Alberta.

Angus added that with the NDP lacking official party status, the party needs a leader who is able to push its agenda in the House of Commons as soon as Jagmeet Singh’s successor is chosen.

Other candidates are securing their own high-profile endorsements.

Environmentalist David Suzuki endorsed documentarian Avi Lewis Tuesday afternoon.

“Avi Lewis understands what this moment demands. His life’s work reflects a deep commitment to social justice, ending poverty, and confronting the climate emergency with honesty rather than delay,” Suzuki said in his endorsement statement.

“At a time when courage is in short supply in Ottawa, we need leaders willing to speak plainly about what science tells us and act accordingly.”

Suzuki and Lewis’s father, former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis, have previously collaborated, including a 2019 nationwide tour to push climate policies during the federal election.

In December, union leader Rob Ashton picked up the support of the United Steelworkers union, one of the founding partners of the NDP.

“In these challenging times, workers need a political leader who is right for this moment — someone who doesn’t just talk about the challenges working people face, but has lived them, fought for progress and delivered real results. Rob is that person,” said Marty Warren, USW national director, in a Dec. 2 media release.

Jordan Leichnitz, a former NDP strategist, said while endorsements can be a way of showing ideological alignment — as with Suzuki’s endorsement of Lewis — most voters aren’t looking at endorsement lists when casting their ballots.

She said endorsements can have an effect on a race when they boost a candidate’s campaign machinery.

“Endorsements can be really impactful when they come with organizing muscles alongside them. So I think that that’s why it’s particularly interesting when you start to see endorsements from major labour unions like (United Steelworkers),” she said.

Leichnitz added that it’s common to see a leadership campaign launch with a major endorsement — such as former Alberta premier Rachel Notley’s endorsement of McPherson — to cast themselves as a front-runner.

With the NDP campaign nearing its Jan. 28 deadline to sign up new members, Leichnitz said now is the time for candidates to start touting their significant backers.

“This is your last opportunity really to sign people up, which is a very major factor in victory,” she said.

The candidates are scheduled to meet on Feb. 19 for an English language debate in B.C., and the new leader will be announced at the party’s convention in Winnipeg on March 29.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2026.

David Baxter, The Canadian Press