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“What Jagmeet did is he ran in a no-hope riding and built it up into a very strong NDP riding,” he said. “That’s something that will be a real strength for our party.”

In an interview, Singh said Julian’s support is one of the most significant endorsements of his campaign. “Throughout the campaign, he’s someone that is just really well-respected among New Democrats,” he said, referring specifically to Julian’s popularity in Quebec, where he had been endorsed by five MPs before quitting the race.

Julian was the first candidate to enter the leadership race, but dropped out in July, saying he hadn’t raised enough money to have a shot at winning.

At the time, he said he planned to speak with each of the remaining candidates before deciding which one to endorse.

Julian has long maintained that his campaign influenced the others, especially by pushing them to oppose pipelines. During a debate in June, Julian and Manitoba MP Niki Ashton both pressed Singh to clarify where he stood on the proposed expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline in B.C., which Singh refused to do.

But Singh has since come out with a climate change policy that did confirm his opposition to Kinder Morgan and the proposed Energy East pipeline.

“He believes in fighting climate change. He’s put out an exciting policy around Canada moving toward renewable energy,” Julian said.

Also on Thursday, Angus’s campaign announced that former veterans’ ombudsman Pat Stogran, who also ran a short-lived campaign for the NDP leadership, has endorsed Angus and will work with him on veterans’ and military affairs.