Last fall, when the NDP leadership race started, the name of retired Colonel Pat Stogran was on no one’s lips. But the NDP race will be stronger for his entry.

From a lengthy interview, it’s clear Stogran brings two major assets to the NDP race.

First, he brings evocative language. He’s quickly established several catch-phrases to convey his ideas.

The political duopoly of Liberals and Conservatives is labelled “politics incorporated” – and tidily dismisses as “same garbage, different coloured bag.”

He contrasts real leadership with “first-follower-ship” – and condemns politicians always looking for a bandwagon to jump onto.

And Stogran speaks about a “bubble-up economy” which he contrasts with the trickle-down economics. Provocatively, he says Canada doesn’t need billionaires; it needs a lot more millionaires.

Stogran’s candidacy could easily have been written off as a vanity run. Or just tilting at windmills. But his trade mark catch-phrases have put him on the media map – and earned him the right of a deeper look.

And there, again, Stogran has something to offer.

The other leadership contestants – Charlie Angus, Niki Ashton, Guy Caron and Peter Julian – bring their experience to the race. But none of it is in the Canadian Armed Forces. On security issues, Canada’s NATO stance and Canada’s participation in foreign wars, Stogran fills a gap. Some may think the NDP doesn’t need strong positions in those areas – they are wrong.

In winter 2002, Colonel Pat Stogran, as the commander of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry’s third battalion, was first on the ground in Afghanistan. Once that history is understood,

Stogran’s path from Princess Pat’s commander to NDP leadership candidate isn’t so strange.

General Rick Hillier and DND HQ put Canada’s role in Afghanistan in blunt terms – to kill “terrorists and scumbags.” But on the ground in Kandahar, Stogran saw a battle for “hearts and minds.” Troops under his command dug water wells and built schools. Stogran met with local leaders. He talked about a new Afghanistan with democracy, human rights and education – “teaching girls side-by-side with boys.”

Stogran redeployed back to Canada in mid-2002. But he returned several years later and again met with local Afghan leaders. They asked him why NATO had allowed President Hamid Karzai to rig elections. They wondered how Stogran could talk about human rights when Canadian troops had handed over prisoners to be tortured in Karzai’s jails.

And the schools? Stogran says politicians gave “disinformation” to Canadians. While they were saying Afghan students were back in school, Stogran saw classrooms “close to empty and no girls” in classes.

And then there’s his life chapter when, as Veteran’s Ombudsman, Stogran fought a plan to turn pensions into lump-sum severances. Stogran has bumped his head against Ottawa’s insincerity – a lot.

Stogran is emphatic that Canada belongs in NATO – but says it’s “lost its way.” He praises Chretien for staying out of Iraq. He believes the instability “we’ve subjected the Middle East to” allows ISIS and criminal gangs to thrive, putting our security at risk.

“Victory means eliminating the causes of hatred,” he says.

Stogran is no traditional New Democrat – or maybe he is. He denounces the casual lies of the “political elite.” Thinks Ottawa is subservient to “politics incorporated.” Talks about “helping the people.” It’s a familiar value set. But it’s framing an experience rare in the NDP.

Tom Parkin is a former NDP staffer and social democrat media commentator