Peggy Nash has skills, personality, experience

The Toronto Star:

Peggy Nash says when New Democrats look at the field of leadership candidates they will discover she has the perfect combination of experience, qualifications and personality.

“I am that leader,” Nash told the NDP leadership convention Friday.

The 60-year-old Toronto MP, who has deep roots in the labour movement, said despite what the cynics say, the NDP’s time to form Canada’s social democratic government has come.

“Never underestimate the tenacity and determination of a woman leader,” said Nash, who was introduced by former NDP leader Alexa McDonough, who agreed that “for the first time our leader will have a realistic opportunity to serve as Canada’s first New Democrat prime minister.”

Nash, a former assistant to the president of the CAW, said she finds her strength when people say she can’t do something

“There were people who said a woman could never lead major collective bargaining in the auto industry and I did that. We went to the bargaining table and we won,” she told the convention.

Nash said the goal of the new leader, to be picked Saturday, is to broaden the party’s support.

“It is a big challenge. We have to broaden our base and consolidate our gain. To do this we have to use our strengths. These strengths are our values,” she said.