OTTAWA—Former NDP leader Alexa McDonough has endorsed Quebec MP Guy Caron to take over the party when members choose a new leader in October.

She is the first former federal leader of the NDP to publicly throw her weight behind a candidate in the race to succeed Thomas Mulcair.

In a statement provided to the Star by the Caron campaign, McDonough praised the candidate’s policy platform, which includes a proposal for a universal basic income, and argued he is best positioned to become the NDP’s first prime minister.

“He’s the perfect foil to Justin Trudeau’s buzzword and photo op-reliant approach to politics,” McDonough’s statement said.

“I want the next NDP Leader to push a robust, progressive agenda that makes sense.”

She also said Caron can be trusted to grow the party’s presence in Quebec, where the late Jack Layton led the NDP to a historic breakthrough in 2011. Caron’s campaign has argued throughout the contest that Quebec will be the key battleground in the 2010 election.

“Any path to forming government for the NDP runs through Quebec. Guy’s got the plan and the experience to deliver,” McDonough said.

Caron said in an email to the Star Tuesday that he’s honoured by the endorsement.

“Her support is yet another example of my ability to unite progressives from every part of the country as we strive to form the first NDP government in 2019,” he said.

McDonough led the federal NDP from 1995 to 2003, when Layton took over as leader.

Caron’s opponents in the current race are Manitoba MP Niki Ashton, Ontario MP Charlie Angus, and Ontario provincial legislator Jagmeet Singh.

Voting for the next leader begins Sept. 18.

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