He's now received four endorsements from NDP backbenchers, but Burnaby-New Westminster MP Peter Julian said he's still 10 days away from deciding if he'll throw his hat into the NDP leadership ring.
"I don't make rash decisions," Julian told The Record on Thursday morning from Ottawa. "I want to make a deeply reasoned decision based on all the reaction and feedback I've been receiving nationwide. ... This is a serious decision that has a lot of personal and financial implications."
Julian now has the backing of Isabelle Morin of Montreal and Kennedy Stewart of Burnaby-Douglas, who announced after a Wednesday caucus meeting that they are throwing their support behind the fluently bilingual Julian.
They join Ontario MPs Rathika Sitsabaiesan and Brian Masse, who endorsed Julian last week.
"I'm gratified so many people feel I should be stepping forward," said Julian. "I have to weigh all the information I've been receiving and it will be another 10 days or so before I make a final decision. ... The door's still wide open."
So far, NDP party president Brian Topp and Quebec MP Romeo Saganash are the only declared candidates to replace Jack Layton, who passed away from cancer last month.
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