Wednesday March 1, 2017
Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday March 1, 2017
Guy Caron enters NDP leadership race, promises basic income
Guy Caron, a Quebec MP and former economist with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, is the third candidate to enter the race for the federal NDP leadership.
Caron, who represents the riding of Rimouski–Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, focused on economic issues in launching his campaign Monday in Gatineau, Que., saying his first policy proposal would be a basic income.
“The problem with the NDP is we were never able to submit an economic platform that would actually make people dream, inspire people. This is what I want to do,” he told CBC’s Power & Politics host Rosemary Barton.
“I am an economist by training…I decided to study economics because, fundamentally, economics is not for conservatives. I’m convinced that progressive forces cannot cede this ground to Bay Street and international financiers.
Charlie Angus, MP for Timmins—James Bay in Ontario and one of the party’s leading advocates for Indigenous communities, declared his candidacy on Sunday.
Peter Julian, MP for Burnaby—New Westminster in British Columbia and a former NDP House leader, became the first candidate earlier this month.
Party members will begin voting for a new leader in September. (CBC News)