McPherson said around the housing crisis, it’s not just a provincial matter and the federal government needs to step up and help. (Jesse Woodward /CHLY 101.7fm)

With little over a month out from the federal NDP leadership election, NDP leadership candidate and current MP Heather McPherson made a stop in Nanaimo to hear from local party members.

This follows the party’s English language debate in Vancouver on February 19th.

On Saturday February 21st, about 50 people filled in to the hall of Pleasant Valley Social Centre to hear from the leadership hopeful.

McPherson is the sitting MP for the Edmonton Strathcona riding in Alberta. She is the only NDP leadership candidate currently with a seat in the House of Commons.

She spoke to the gathering on a variety of topics, including the ongoing housing crisis, Indigenous Reconciliation, and Palestinian solidarity.

CHLY spoke to McPherson after the event.

“We've been traveling across the country, meeting with people in small communities, big cities, from coast to coast to coast. It's pretty interesting how similar people's concerns are right now; the world feels dangerous,” McPherson said. “People are worried about housing, they're worried about their jobs, they're worried about the cost of living, and they want to have a progressive, strong, New Democratic Party that can actually hold the government accountable on those things.”

She said around the housing crisis, it’s not just a provincial matter and the federal government needs to step up and help.

With uncertainty for the NDP following a devastating loss for the party in the last election, McPherson said right now is about making sure every single Canadian feels like their voices are being heard by the party. (Jesse Woodward /CHLY 101.7fm)

“Some of the difficulty about housing is that housing is actually a tri-jurisdiction. It is municipal, it is federal and it is provincial,” she said. “But with the federal dollars that go to the provinces, it is possible for us to tie strings to those dollars to make sure that there is rent protection to make sure that there is an investment in affordable housing to the scale and scope necessary.”

With uncertainty for the NDP following a devastating loss for the party in the last election which reduced the party to 7 seats from 24, McPherson said right now is about making sure every single Canadian feels like their voices are being heard by the party.

“It's not about changing what we believe as New Democrats. We have values. It's why everything that has happened in this country, that has been good for Canadians, Medicare and weekends and labor rights and all of those things, came because of New Democrats,” McPherson said. “We don't change what we believe, we change how and who we talk to.”

With an MOU between the Federal and Alberta government, for a new pipeline to be built to the west coast through British Columbia, as an Albertan MP, McPherson said now is the time to shift to renewable energy.

“There is no new pipeline that we need. We do not need another pipeline in this country. Let's be very clear, Albertans are pro-jobs. They are pro-family sustaining jobs,” she said. “Workers in my province, like workers in British Columbia, want to be able to support their families, and so if we are investing in projects that get people working, that get jobs for Canadians in renewables in future facing economies, that's what we need to be doing. That's how we build resilience. That's how we build up our economy. That's how we make ourselves a stronger country.”

Laura Shanner was at the event and told CHLY she is happy to see a candidate talk about matters important to them. The event helped her clarify who she’s supporting.

“I've been going back and forth, actually, with the idea that it might be good because the NDP has a small caucus, would it be better to have our caucus focusing on parliament and somebody else running around the country, building the party,” Shanner said. “I'm thinking now, especially in terms of Heather's grasp of foreign relations, it really would be best to have our Member of Parliament and leader of the party be the same person to amplify that voice in.”

McPherson is currently competing for the NDP leadership role against Green New Deal advocate Avi Lewis, union leader Rob Ashton, Campbell River City Councillor Tanille Johnston, and green progressive Tony McQuail.

According to data released by Elections Canada, as of the end of 2025, Lewis leads in fundraising over McPherson, Ashton, Johnston, and McQuail. Historically, fundraising has been predictive of first ballot win success.

Leading up to their party convention in March, registered members of the federal New Democratic Party will have their opportunity to vote for their next party leader, with members voting online, by phone, or by mail. Those wishing to vote by mail must request this option in advance.

Produced with files from Jesse Woodward.

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.