Some NDP leadership candidates report struggling to meet conditions to remain in race
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OTTAWA – The first of three fundraising deadlines for the NDP leadership race landed Friday, with some candidates coming close to not meeting the requirements for remaining in the race.
A campaign spokesperson for Tanille Johnston, a city councillor in Campbell River, B.C., said she will be able to make the $25,000 payment allowing her to stay in the race and appear on the debate stage in Montreal later this month.
The Johnston campaign said late Thursday it was optimistic but not certain about reaching the fundraising threshold.
“It’s no small feat asking our working-class base to help hit a $100,000 target to get Tanille on the ballot. But momentum is building and we’re growing our grassroots support every day, and I’m glad to say that we’ll most likely make our first paywall target tomorrow,” the spokesperson said in an email late Thursday.
Tony McQuail, an Ontario organic farmer, said in an email his leadership campaign has the necessary funds but he was at risk of not meeting the signature requirements.
“Because of a slow start up to our email system, what we are currently short of is the National Distribution of our Nomination Signatures,” McQuail said in email late Thursday.
A party official said the deadline to get the necessary signatures is Nov. 14.
Candidates need 500 signatures from party members and at least 50 from each of five regions — the Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, the Prairies, B.C. and the North.
McQuail said in an email Friday afternoon that his campaign had collected more than 400 signatures since Thursday morning, bringing his total to over 700. He also said he did not yet know the regional breakdown of those signatures.
The first of four $25,000 payments was due when candidates submitted their nomination signature packages.
The campaigns for Avi Lewis, Heather McPherson and Rob Ashton all say that they have made the latest leadership payment.
A spokesperson for the Lewis campaign said they’ve raised $255,000 so far from over 1,500 donors.
NDP third quarter financial returns show McPherson raised nearly $100,000 by Sept. 30.
An Ashton campaign spokesperson said “momentum continues to build” for his campaign.
The NDP leadership candidates are scheduled to meet in Montreal for a predominantly French debate on Nov. 27.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2025.