A 'campaign of respect': MP Charlie Angus reflects on NDP leadership campaign

Card-carrying New Democrats can start voting today for the candidate they want to see as the new federal party leader, and the only candidate from northern Ontario says he's feeling good about how his campaign is going.

The four candidates were at the NDP leadership showcase yesterday in Hamilton, Ont., for a final pitch.

They include Ontario MPP Jagmeet Singh, Quebec MP Guy Caron, Manitoba MP Niki Ashton and Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus.

Angus says he always approaches a political campaign as an underdog even though he's won his own riding five times.

"You always got to assume the other guys have a good plan," he said.

Angus says throughout his stops in areas across the country, he's heard a lot from Canadians about economic insecurity.

"We were really lead to believe that the next generation would look better than the previous generation," he said.

"I meet people who are burdened down with student debt who are doing these endless, short term work contracts."

'Campaign of respect'

About 124,000 members are eligible to cast a ballot to select the new leader. The results of the first round of voting will be announced on Oct. 1.

Angus says campaigning will continue until then and adds it hasn't been a typical leadership campaign.

"I think what really struck people about this campaign was this was a campaign of respect," he said.

"What my fundamental focus coming out of this is I wanted our party to come out stronger than when we went in and I think we showed Canadians that we can do respectful politics. We can talk ideas and we don't have to bash each other on the head to do it."

Angus says he got involved in politics 15 years ago to speak for the people in his region, and now he feels it is time to do that on the national stage.

"I have respect for Justin Trudeau but I believe more and more that people are tuning out of politics because they think it's all about spin [and] all about image," he said.