Thomas Mulcair conjures up a lot of strong words and sentiments among NDP members and the press. Words like "pit bull" and "attack dog" stalk his political career, and Macleans magazine described him as "Mr. Angry" -- probably a good thing, given the current feeling among Canadian progressives against Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
A political blue-blood (descended from Quebec premier Honoré Mercier) from a 10-child household, the brazen, bearded and fully bilingual Mulcair was praised by NDP MP Don Davies as the one candidate who's got “prime ministerial bearing.”
He may be a change from "smiling Jack" Layton, but he's the undisputed NDP leader now.
Here are five good reasons he should have the party's support.
1) He's the NDP's only shot at defeating Harper
Party members across the country voted for a leader, and Mulcair came out on top. One member, one vote—it's a fair system, and assuming the vote website's hacker problem didn't affect the outcome, he's the fair winner.
Mulcair's goal is the same as every other New Democrat's: to get Stephen Harper out of office. And he can only succeed if he gets the full support of NDP backers, and then some from non-Conservative parties including the Liberals, Greens and the Bloc.
“We’re together, united, prepared to face our only adversary, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, starting tomorrow,” Mulcair reminded caucus members on Sunday.
While some people fear that he's going to bring the NDP to the centre, his outward goal is to bring the centre to the NDP. With his credentials as a former Liberal, a former environment minister and a staunch Quebecer, it's possible.
2) He’s got (a lot of) fight in him
One thing is for sure: Mulcair is not afraid of battle. His fighting spirit and "Irish temper" is something that has marked him throughout his history as a lawyer and Quebec cabinet minister, right up to the NDP race. And given the Harper government’s aggressive tactics, Mulcair's scrappy “warrior” attitude may be one of the only ways to strike back at Conservative bullies in Ottawa.
“If you want to play with the big boys, you choose a guy who can fight,” said one supporter in his home riding of Outremont, Quebec.
And Mulcair’s supporters aren’t the only ones talking about his aggressive persona. Northern Ontario MP Charlie Angus told CBC News on Sunday that MPs should “rally around Mulcair, who he described as Layton’s ‘pitbull’ in Parliament.”
NDP MP Don Davies also provided a shining endorsement in a recent Maclean’s article, describing Mulcair as passionate, principled and “not afraid to speak his mind”.
“I think that’s something that our party will benefit from…a bit of a hard-nosed approach to take on Harper. Because I think Canadians want that as well,” said Davies.
In the Globe and Mail, reporters commented that Mulcair’s nickname of “Grizzly” has as much to do with his impressive facial hair as for his “penchant for constant, trenchant attacks” on his opponents.
And the Toronto Star’s Tim Harper noted Mulcair’s claims about handling himself well in a “rough-and-tumble” Quebec neighbourhood—something the politician says will serve him well on the hill.
“He laughed about how the Conservatives couldn’t call him anything he hadn’t been called by his siblings,” he wrote.
3) He’s surrounded by strong colleagues and MPs
In the days since his victory, Mulcair has been focused on presenting a strong, united front with the rest of the party. He promised “continuity” throughout his transition into the top spot, and told the caucus that his team would primarily consist of familiar NDP faces. He even extended an “olive branch” to Vancouver East MP Libby Davies, keeping her on as deputy leader despite tensions between them.
And of course, many of the important issues raised by other candidates in the leadership race will not just disappear.
British Columbia MP Nathan Cullen, for instance, used his leadership campaign to thrust a major BC issue (the Northern Gateway pipeline debate) under the national spotlight. Just like his support for cooperation between Liberals, Greens and NDP, Cullen’s attention to the pipeline issue has struck a chord with Canadian voters that will be impossible for Mulcair to ignore.
Whatever occurred between candidates in the battle for leadership, everyone seems to understand how important it is now to stick together, while at the same time giving voice to varying perspectives within the party.
4) He’s got a history of standing up for “the little guy”
As Quebec’s environment minister in 2003, Mulcair abandoned a family vacation to visit Robert Galbraith, a resident in the midst of an 18-day hunger strike over toxic algae in Lake Champlain.
In 2008, he made a desperate plea to immigration minister Diane Finley to intervene on behalf of a gay Malaysian refugee who feared persecution when returning to a predominantly Muslim country. According to a report in gay and lesbian news weekly Xtra!, Mulcair had "tears in his eyes at a press conference" as he urged the government not to deport the refugee. Tough and aggressive as he is, Mulcair is no homophobe.
Whether it’s pushing for LGBTQ rights in immigration or addressing Canadians’ problems on a personal basis, Mulcair has proven his dedication by going out on a limb for individuals and underdogs.
5) He's got support in Quebec
After the 2011 election, the New Democratic Party celebrated its very first shot in Parliament as the Official Opposition. And as many experts have noted, the party's unprecedented jump in seats came as a result of historic gains in Quebec.
As the first MP to hold an NDP seat in the province in decades, Mulcair was seen by many as the most obvious choice to maintain those gains. Montreal Gazette columnist Don Macpherson explained that from a Quebec perspective, the leadership race was simple.
“In Quebec, the NDP leadership campaign was never anything but a onehorse race, and the horse was named Mulcair,” he said.
When Mulcair first announced he was running for the NDP, the late Jack Layton had expressed his faith that the former Liberal could be instrumental to gain some momentum in “La Belle Province”.
"I think it would be fair to say an NDP breakthrough in Quebec is one of those bigger dreams, and Tom is definitely a dream come true," Layton said.
While Mulcair’s election as leader doesn’t necessarily mean a home run for Quebec in 2015, it has at least given fearful New Democrats more hope that the solid base of seats in the province won’t be lost.