NDP leadership candidate Paul Dewar Friday received a second endorsement for his bid to lead the federal party.
Charlie Angus, who represents the riding of Timmins-James Bay, announced his endorsement at a news conference in Ottawa.
Angus said he supports Dewar’s bid for leadership because Dewar "is a person who connects with families and their priorities."
"He brings to the table the kind of ideas, energy and leadership that a majority of Canadians are looking for from their government,” Angus said in a new release.
Dewar said Angus will be his deputy leader should he win the nomination. Dewar hopes Angus will help him work to build NDP support in key regions across the country. The New Democrats need to win 70 additional ridings to form a majority government.
Angus is the party’s ethics critic who was responsible for bringing public attention to the living conditions in Attawapiskat in late 2011.
Earlier this week, Dewar received another high-profile endorsement from Linda Duncan, Alberta’s only New Democrat MP. She is the party’s aboriginal affairs and northern development critic who is well known for environmental activism.
Dewar’s positions on energy and the environment are similar to her own, said Duncan.
Duncan has represented Edmonton-Strathcona since 2008.