He’s staying put. After months of mulling over a shot at the provincial NDP leadership race, Burnaby-New Westminster MP Peter Julian has decided to stick to his post in Ottawa.
Julian made the announcement Thursday, at a press conference held in his Burnaby constituency office.
“There are many talented potential leaders in our party, and I particularly hope to see many of the talented women in our movement step forward to run for leadership in the new year,” Julian said in a written statement. “But I won’t be among them.”
Julian outlined the issues he reviewed while considering whether to run provincially – including B.C.’s high rates of child poverty, homelessness and debt – but he decided to stay at his federal post.
“Members of our federal caucus have been particularly convincing in telling me that my current work as national caucus chair is important to achieving an historic victory for working families in Ottawa in 2015 with a potential new NDP government,” he said.
In September, B.C. NDP leader Adrian Dix announced he was stepping down and that the party would hold a leadership race to replace him.
The NDP leadership race will likely happen in fall of 2014, but no date or location has been confirmed yet.
Meanwhile, Burnaby-Douglas MP Kennedy Stewart is still considering running for the B.C. NDP leadership. He has a team to help him plan, and they meet regularly.
“We’re meeting twice weekly and seriously considering this bid, but I won’t be making my decision till January,” he said. “This is the biggest political decision I’ll make in my life, but I’m taking the time to do it right.”
