Rolling onto the stage with a rap-inspired Charlie Angus, some on-stage endorsements, and a video message from Maher Arar, Ottawa Centre MP Paul Dewar made his final plea to the roughly 75,000 party faithfuls who have yet to vote in the 2012 NDP leadership race.
Following a heartfelt, unprompted speech from leadership candidate Nathan Cullen (Skeena—Bulkley Valley), Dewar was a faced with a tough act to follow.
“We may have lost Jack, but we must not lose our way,” Dewar told 4,212 delegates assembled at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre March 23.
“Who has the energy, the experience, the passion, the popular appeal to connect in rural Canada? Friends, I’m that leader.”
His 10-minute speech focused on how he stands out compared to his counterparts, emphasizing his ability to not only “take (Prime Minister Stephen Harper) on, but take him down.”
Each of the seven candidates were allowed 20 minutes to make their final sales pitch for votes.
While Cullen’s speech called for NDP cooperation with the Liberals and Greens in the next federal election, Dewar took a markedly different stance.
“We won’t win the trust of Canadians by throwing our principles aside.”
Voting for the first ballot closes at 9:00 a.m. March 24.