The race to replace Tom Mulcair as leader of the New Democratic Party finally has a few candidates.
The leadership vote is scheduled for October, but the party has several debates scheduled until then, including in Halifax, Saskatoon, Montreal and Vancouver.
The race so far has four confirmed candidates -- whose paperwork the party has accepted -- and two declared candidates.
Here's a look at the candidates so far.
Official candidates
Charlie Angus, 54
- MP for the northern Ontario riding Timmins—James Bay since 2004
- Before entering politics, Angus founded the punk band L'Etranger, edited HighGrader magazine and ran the Catholic Worker House for the homeless in Toronto
- "More than 50 per cent of the people in Toronto are working on short-term contract work, burdened down by student debt, not able to buy homes in the communities they love, and that exists across this country," he said at his campaign launch. "But we can change that."
- Known for his advocacy on indigenous issues
- Speaks some French but is not fully bilingual
Niki Ashton, 34
- MP for the Manitoba riding of Churchill-Keewatinook Aski
- Before politics, Ashton studied in Hong Kong for two years as a teenager and then studied at the University of Manitoba and Carleton University in Ottawa. She was also an instructor at the University College of the North
- Known for her advocacy on indigenous and LGBTQ issues. She is currently the NDP critic for jobs and employment
- "Fighting for human rights continues to be central to everything I do," she said while announcing her leadership bid
- Fully bilingual
Guy Caron, 49
- MP for Quebec riding of Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques since 2011
- Before politics, Caron served as president of the Canadian Federation of Students, worked as a radio journalist, and was an economist for the Communications, Energy and Paper workers Union of Canada
- "The two main challenges I see for the twentieth century are income inequalities and also climate change," Caron told CTV's Power Play on the day he launched his campaign. "The first brick toward fighting income inequality would be establishing a basic income."
- Known for his critiques of Liberal and Conservative economic policies
- Fluently bilingual
Peter Julian, 55
- MP for the British Columbia riding of Burnaby—New Westminster since 2004
- Before politics, he worked in a refinery, a brewery and as executive director of the Council of Canadians
- "We have to move forward and take off tuition fees so that we can actually provide access to post-secondary education, whether we're talking about trades, or college or university," Julian told CTV’s Power Play after launching his campaign He also "cares deeply about" homelessness, reconciliation with First Nations people and national resources policies
- Known for his opposition to Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline expansion
- Fluently bilingual
Declared candidates
Jagmeet Singh, 38
- Former deputy leader of the Ontario NDP
- Member of provincial parliament for Bramalea-Gore-Malton
- First elected to Ontario legislature on Oct. 6, 2011 and re-elected June 12, 2014
- Before politics, attended Osgoode Hall Law School and worked as criminal defence lawyer
- Cites frustration with federal Liberals on broken electoral reform promise, too-slow action on reconciliation with Indigenous Canadians and lack of understanding on precarious employment as reasons for running
- Fluently bilingual
- Has competed in mixed martial arts and Brazilian jiu-jitsu
- Retired colonel
- Former veterans ombudsman
- Born in Quebec, spent teens in Richmond, B.C.
- Graduated in 1980 from Royal Military College with engineering degree
- Served in Bosnia, Afghanistan
- Fought against funding cuts for veterans benefits
