Romeo Saganash

 ( 1961 Births ) 

As a prominent Cree figure in a riding with many Indigenous peoples, Saganash received personal support from NDP Quebec lieutenant Tom Mulcair, who referred to Saganash as a "very important candidate". He was elected in the 2011 federal election to represent Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou. He was one of 59 NDP MPs elected for Quebec ridings (all newcomers to Parliament except Mulcair), and the party overall achieved its best showing in a federal election to date by becoming Official Opposition to the Conservative government, which rose from minority to majority standing.

On September 16, 2011, Saganash announced that he was running for the leadership of the NDP, to succeed Jack Layton, who had died the previous month. He is believed to be the first Indigenous person to run for the leadership of a major Canadian party. He withdrew on February 9, 2012, however, citing illness in his family and a lack of confidence in his campaign. On March 7, 2012, Saganash announced that he would support Mulcair for NDP leader.

After an incident where he was removed from an Air Canada Jazz flight from Montreal to Val-d'Or for intoxication, Saganash took sick leave in October 2012 for the treatment of alcoholism. Saganash cited the death of his "friend and mentor" Jack Layton, as well as the "profound scars" he received while in the residential school system, as the reasons for his dependency. He completed his treatment in November 2012, and returned for the start of the House's first session of 2013.

In the 2015 Canadian federal election, Saganash was re-elected to a second term. The NDP fell from second to third in the seat count nationally, behind the new Liberal majority government and the Conservatives.

In the 2017 NDP leadership election, Saganash supported Niki Ashton.

By July 2018, Saganash had decided not to run in the 43rd Canadian federal election, which took place in 2019.

• 2012 New Democratic Party leadership election

• Leadership campaign website