The election date for the Toronto Centre byelection is November 25 and all four major parties are ramping up their campaigns to a full pace.
Linda McQuaig, the NDP candidate, held a rally Saturday morning before she headed out to campaign for the day.
Her office was full and the crowd overflowed out on the street waiting for NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and McQuaig to speak.
Each addressed the crowd and challenged the idea that Toronto Centre is a Liberal stronghold. The Liberals have held the riding since 1993. Former Ontario Premier Bob Rae was the most recent Liberal Member of Parliament to hold the riding but he stepped down in June of this year to focus his time on First Nations issues.
McQuaig is a long-time journalist having worked in the past for the Globe and Mail and Maclean’s.
She is one of three journalists vying for the seat including Green Party candidate John Deverell, formerly of the Toronto Star, and Liberal candidate Chrystia Freeland, who has worked for multiple international news organizations.
Below is an interview with McQuaig where she speaks on her background and issues affecting students and post-secondary education.
Camera: David Rockne Corrigan
Editing: Michael Duncan