NDP Membership up 50 Percent

The NDP has translated its breakthrough in the last election into a 50 percent increase in the number of card-carrying party members since October.

The party released numbers Tuesday illustrating that some 128,351 members are now eligible to vote in the March 24 leadership vote which was moved to a larger venue to accommodate the number of registered delegates.

“Canadians are really engaged and involved in our leadership race, as these historic numbers show,” said New Democrat national director Chantal Vallerand. “Canadians are turning to New Democrats in record amounts in order to defeat Stephen Harper and elect a prime minister for all Canadians.”

While over half the party’s members live in British Columbia, Quebec has seen a 600 percent increase in membership, from 1,700 to 12,266.

“This leadership campaign is about choosing the next leader of the Official Opposition, but also the next Prime Minister,” said Vallerand, who said Harper’s policies are driving NDP membership.