NDP to run strongest team of candidates ever

Jack Layton seems to be everywhere. He gave a series of interviews leading up to the holidays. But even through his so-called holidays he was in the news on everything from the political turmoil in Pakistan, to the GST cut.

And with baby New Year not even showing the early signs of diaper rash, Layton is back at it in this interview with the Ottawa Citizen. His message: in 2008 the NDP will be the party for Canadians who want leadership for real change.

Layton also dangled a tantalizing bauble in front of political junkies saying that not only has the party increased its donor base to take on Harper dollar-for-dollar in the election, but the party has readied “the strongest team of candidates we've ever had.”

And as if to make the point further, over here, Thomas Mulcair confidently predicts that the changing dynamic in Quebec will net the NDP between six to 12 seats there.

Layton also tells the Citizen that he's convening a historic summit of NDP leaders from across the country this month including Premier Gary Doer of Manitoba and former Saskatchewan premier Lorne Calvert.

It’s only a few days into 2008, and Layton has already got his party looking more and more like the serious challenger for power.