While Mayor Derek Corrigan is throwing his support behind Brian Topp, some city councillors are opting for Thomas Mulcair as leader of the federal New Democrats.
City councillor Nick Volkow has already cast his vote for Mulcair, largely considered the front-runner in the NDP leadership race, which wraps up March 24.
"He's bright, he's got political smarts, he's been elected, he served in cabinet," said Volkow, rattling off a list of reasons he picked Mulcair.
Coun. Paul McDonell has also already voted for Mulcair with a mail-in ballot.
"He's got the best shot at bringing everything together. He's articulate, he's got experience, he's definitely got the Quebec roots," McDonell said. "I think he's our best shot if we want to form government."
Councillors Colleen Jordan and Pietro Calendino are also supporting Mulcair, as is Coun. Sav Dhaliwal.
Mulcair was one of the reasons the NDP secured 59 Quebec seats in the last federal election, Volkow said.
Mulcair is deputy leader of the federal party and an MP in Quebec. He has a background in law and has been elected six times, often under the Liberal banner.
Volkow said the main difference between Topp and Mulcair is "the fact that Brian Topp has never run for anything in his entire life."
"He has no front-line experience whatsoever," Volkow said.
Following the death of former leader Jack Layton, the New Democrats have been under Nycole Turmel's interim leadership. The leadership convention is on March 23 and 24 in Toronto. All party members can vote, and some have been voting online already. The other candidates are Niki Ashton, Nathan Cullen, Paul Dewar, Peggy Nash and Martin Singh. The winner will be announced on March 24.
Burnaby Douglas MP Kennedy Stewart, former MP Bill Siksay, and local MLAs Kathy Corrigan and Raj Chouhan have endorsed Topp.
