Peggy Nash wants students to know she’s a unique New Democratic Party (NDP) federal leadership candidate.
The MP for Parkdale – High Park in Toronto spoke with students about what makes her different at Mike’s Place, Jan. 24.
“I think what differentiates me is that I put jobs and the economy to the heart of my campaign and I believe that I have the experience and the background and the credentials to persuade Canadians that we have a better approach to the economy,” Nash said.
The economy was a theme throughout Nash’s talk.
“We need to have hope and optimism that young people, when they finish school, can get good jobs to support themselves and their families,” Nash said, adding she supports the Occupy movement. “I’m offering you leadership that will fight to make the economy work for the 99 per cent.”
“In the next federal election, we have to persuade Canadians that not only do we believe in social justice [and] in environmental sustainability, but that they could also trust us to manage the economy.”
Nash told listeners that late NDP leader Jack Layton chose her to be the party’s finance critic.
“You can trust me to defend our social democratic principles because I have been there and I have fought for them in forums across the country all my life,” she said. “You don’t have to worry about somehow me putting away our principles.”
Pointing to current changes being made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper such as the new crime bill, purchase of “war planes” and abandoning the Kyoto Protocol, Nash said the NDP needs to show Canadians who didn’t vote for them that they have to if they want to change the direction of the country.
“I’m prepared to lead, to fight, to build, to go toe-to-toe with Stephen Harper,” Nash said. “But for us to win, it takes more than one person. It takes all of us together.”
As for her leadership competition, Nash only had a few words.
“I don’t want you to not vote for them,” she said. “But I want you to vote for me.”
