View source for Tom Mulcair

{{Short description|Canadian politician and former leader of the Opposition}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Honourable]]
| name                = Tom Mulcair
| honorific-suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|size=100%}}
| image               = Thomas Mulcair 2015-08-12 (cropped).jpg
| alt                 = 
| caption             = Mulcair in 2015
| office              = [[Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada)|Leader of the Opposition]]
| term_start          = March 24, 2012
| term_end            = November 4, 2015
| predecessor         = [[Nycole Turmel]]
| successor           = [[Rona Ambrose]]
| office1             = [[Leader of the New Democratic Party]]
| deputy1=[[Libby Davies]]<br>[[Megan Leslie]]<br>[[David Christopherson]]
| term_start1         = March 24, 2012
| term_end1           = October 1, 2017
| predecessor1        = [[Nycole Turmel]] (interim)
| successor1          = [[Jagmeet Singh]]
| office2             = [[Opposition House Leader]]
| leader2             = [[Nycole Turmel]] (acting)
| term_start2         = May 26, 2011
| term_end2           = October 12, 2011
| predecessor2        = [[David McGuinty]]
| successor2          = [[Joe Comartin]]
| term_start3         = September 17, 2007
| term_end3           = August 3, 2018
| riding3             = [[Outremont (electoral district)|Outremont]]
| parliament3         = Canadian
| predecessor3        = [[Jean Lapierre]]
| successor3          = [[Rachel Bendayan]] (2019)
| office4             = [[Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks (Quebec)|Quebec Minister of the Environment]]
| premier4            = [[Jean Charest]]
| term_start4         = April 29, 2003
| term_end4           = February 27, 2006
| predecessor4        = [[André Boisclair]]
| successor4          = [[Claude Béchard]]
| office5             = Member of the [[National Assembly of Quebec]] for [[Chomedey (electoral district)|Chomedey]]
| term_start5         = September 12, 1994
| term_end5           = March 26, 2007
| predecessor5        = [[Lise Bacon]]
| successor5          = [[Guy Ouellette]]
| birth_name          = Thomas Joseph Mulcair
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1954|10|24}}
| birth_place         = [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| citizenship         = {{hlist|[[Canada]]|[[France]]}}
| residence           = [[Beaconsfield, Quebec|Beaconsfield]], [[Quebec]]
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[New Democratic Party|New Democratic]]<br>(1974–present)
| otherparty          = [[Quebec Liberal Party|Quebec Liberal]]<br>(provincial; 1994–2007)
| spouse              = {{marriage|Catherine Pinhas|1976}}
| children            = 2
| alma_mater          = [[McGill University]]
| website             = {{URL|https://www.thomasmulcair.ca/}}
}}

'''Thomas Joseph Mulcair''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC}} (born October 24, 1954) is a Canadian lawyer and retired politician who served as the leader of the [[New Democratic Party]] (NDP) from 2012 to 2017 and [[Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada)|leader of the Official Opposition]] from 2012 to 2015. He was elected to the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]] in 2007 and sat as the [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Outremont (electoral district)|Outremont]] until 2018.

Mulcair was a senior [[civil servant]] in the Quebec provincial government, ran a private law practice, and taught law at the university level.<ref>{{cite web|title=About Tom Mulcair|website=NDP Official Website|url=https://www.ndp.ca/tommulcair|access-date=18 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017160604/http://www.ndp.ca/tommulcair|archive-date=October 17, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Mulcair joined the federal NDP in 1974<ref name="thestar.com">{{cite web|title=NDP Leadership: Thomas Mulcair draws on experience as Quebec environment minister|first=Joanna|last=Smith|work=Toronto Star|date=March 16, 2012|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2012/03/16/ndp_leadership_thomas_mulcair_draws_on_experience_as_quebec_environment_minister.html}}</ref> and was the provincial member of the [[National Assembly of Quebec]] for the riding of [[Chomedey (electoral district)|Chomedey]] in [[Laval, Quebec|Laval]] from 1994 to 2007, holding the seat for the [[Quebec Liberal Party]]. He served as the [[Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks (Quebec)|minister of sustainable development, environment and parks]] from 2003 until 2006, in the Liberal government of Premier [[Jean Charest]]. Elected MP for Outremont in a by-election in 2007, he was named co-[[Deputy Leader|deputy leader]] of the NDP shortly afterwards, and won re-election to his seat three times. On May 26, 2011, he was named the New Democratic Party's [[Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons (Canada)|Opposition house leader]] and also served as the NDP's [[Quebec lieutenant]].

Mulcair was elected as the leader of the NDP on the fourth ballot of the [[2012 New Democratic Party leadership election|2012 leadership election]]. The NDP having the second-largest caucus in the House of Commons, Mulcair became the leader of the [[Official Opposition (Canada)|Official Opposition]]. Mulcair advocated for [[balanced budget]]s and his leadership was said to have positioned the NDP to the right of the Liberal Party. Though polls early in the [[2015 Canadian federal election|2015 federal election campaign]] indicated the possibility of an NDP [[minority government]], the party lost just over half of its seats and resumed third-place status. During a [[leadership review]] vote, held at the 2016 federal NDP convention, 52% of the delegates voted to hold [[2017 New Democratic Party leadership election|a leadership election in October 2017]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-leadership-mulcair-politics-1.3527224|title=Mulcair's weakness also his strength: he brought the NDP closer to the centre - CBC News|website=cbc.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref> Mulcair stated he would remain leader until the party chose a replacement. He later announced in May 2016 that he would retire from politics and would not contest his riding in the next federal election.

Mulcair resigned his seat on August 3, 2018, in order to accept a position in the political science department of the [[University of Montreal]]. He has also been hired as an on-air political analyst for [[CJAD]], [[CTV News Channel (Canada)|CTV News Channel]], and [[TVA (Canada)|TVA]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/national/tom-mulcair-quitting-politics-before-next-federal-election|title=Tom Mulcair quitting politics before next federal election|date=May 15, 2016|website=montrealgazette.com|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref>

== Personal life and education ==
Thomas Joseph Mulcair<ref>{{cite news |date=September 26, 2007 |title=Mulcair makes believers of us with historic by-election victory |publisher=The Monitor |url=http://www.themonitor.ca/Living/World/2007-09-26/article-649807/Mulcair-makes-believers-of-us-with-historic-by-election-victory/1 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826191257/http://www.themonitor.ca/Living/World/2007-09-26/article-649807/Mulcair-makes-believers-of-us-with-historic-by-election-victory/1 |archive-date=August 26, 2011 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> was born in October 24, 1954, at [[the Ottawa Hospital]] in [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]]. His parents lived in the Wrightville district of [[Hull, Quebec|Hull]] (now [[Gatineau]]) at the time.<ref name=mulbk1>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_fN1CQAAQBAJ&q=%22the+first+to+take+office+after+Confederation:+Pierre-Joseph-Olivier+Chauveau%22&pg=PA16|title=Strength of Conviction|first=Tom|last=Mulcair|date=August 1, 2015|publisher=Dundurn|access-date=March 31, 2018|via=Google Books|isbn=9781459732964}}</ref>

His father, Harry Donnelly Mulcair, worked in insurance and  was the descendant of [[Irish Quebecers|Irish immigrants]] who arrived in the [[Quebec City]] area during the [[Great Irish Famine]] of the 1840s. His paternal grandfather moved to [[Montreal]] to become a tailor.  His mother, Jeanne Hurtubise, a school teacher, was [[French Canadian]] and the great-granddaughter of Quebec Premiers  [[Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau]] and  [[Honoré Mercier]]. Her father was a businessman and the founding mayor of [[Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs]] in the [[Laurentian Mountains]] north of Montreal, where she met her husband in 1948.<ref name="torstarbio">{{cite web|author=Sandro Contenta |title=Thomas Mulcair cast as a leader from a young age |work= Toronto Star |publisher=Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd |date= October 11, 2015 |accessdate=2022-03-19 |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2015/10/11/thomas-mulcair-cast-as-a-leader-from-a-young-age.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322200553/https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2015/10/11/thomas-mulcair-cast-as-a-leader-from-a-young-age.html |archive-date = 2022-03-22 |quote= }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/04/10/thomas-mulcair-family-personal-life_n_3054311.html|title=Thomas Mulcair's Family, Personal Side To Be Shown In New Light At NDP Policy Convention|date=April 10, 2013|website=huffingtonpost.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.courrierlaval.com/article-97345-Mulcair-is-back.html |title=Mulcair is back, Courrier Laval, April 20, 2007 |publisher=Courrierlaval.com |date=June 10, 2009 |access-date=June 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120727235401/http://www.courrierlaval.com/article-97345-Mulcair-is-back.html |archive-date=July 27, 2012 }}</ref>

The Mulcairs soon moved to the middle-class district of [[Chomedey, Quebec|Chomedey]] in [[Laval, Quebec|Laval]], a [[suburb]] of Montreal, where Thomas would grow up as the second-eldest in a close-knit family of ten children. It was a bilingual, Catholic household where children were educated in English and French Catholic schools, although the family stopped attending  [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] over a disagreement with the parish priest about birth control. Both parents were supporters of the [[Quebec Liberal Party]].<ref name="macleansbio">{{cite web|author=John Geddes |title=Smart, tough and nasty: the definitive portrait of Thomas Mulcair
 |work= Macleans Magazine |publisher=St. Joseph Communications |date= September 19, 2012 |accessdate=2022-03-20|url=https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/the-fights-of-his-life/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210119034611/https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/the-fights-of-his-life/|archive-date =2021-01-19 |quote= }}</ref> Mulcair went to  [[Laval Catholic High School]], where he was influenced by Quebec's tradition of Catholic progressivism. He got interested in politics and activism after organizing a successful sit-in to protest the administration’s plan to abolish recess, and participated in weekend community work in Montreal organized by one of this teachers, Father Alan Cox.<ref name="torstarbio" /><ref>{{cite web|author= |title=Tom Mulcair staged a high school sit-in... to bring back recess
 |work= CBC Radio| publisher= |date=September 23, 2015 |accessdate=2022-02-22|url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/dnto/uncovering-the-personal-side-of-canada-s-party-leaders-1.3237146/tom-mulcair-staged-a-high-school-sit-in-to-bring-back-recess-1.3240611 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322200101/https://www.cbc.ca/radio/dnto/uncovering-the-personal-side-of-canada-s-party-leaders-1.3237146/tom-mulcair-staged-a-high-school-sit-in-to-bring-back-recess-1.3240611 |archive-date =2022-03-22 |quote= }}</ref>

After high school and graduating in social sciences from [[CEGEP]] [[Vanier College]] in 1973, Mulcair started law school at [[McGill University]] at age 18. That same year, his father lost his job. The parents, with eight children still at home, sold their home in Laval and moved to the family cottage in Saint-Anne-des-Lacs.<ref name="torstarbio" /><ref>{{cite web|author=James Cudmore |title=Tom Mulcair's family hardships shaped TPP opposition |publisher= CBC News |date= Oct 15, 2015|accessdate=2022-03-20|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-election-2015-tom-mulcair-ndp-opposition-tpp-trans-pacific-partnership-1.3273794 |quote= }}</ref> Mulcair worked summers in construction, tarring roofs to pay for law school and housing, while borrowing money from his older sister to pay for books.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wente|first1=Margeret|last2=Mulcair|first2=Tom|date=July 31, 2015|title=Review: Tom Mulcair's Strength of Conviction tells a story of a man who could make history|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews/review-mulcairs-strength-of-conviction-tells-story-of-a-man-who-could-make-history/article25798622/)|access-date=March 31, 2018|via=The Globe and Mail}}</ref>
A strong believer in social justice, he joined the NDP at age 19.<ref name="montrealer">{{cite web|author= Peter Kerr |title= Thomas Mulcair – from a life in politics to a new career as a political commentator and university professor |work= The Montrealer |publisher= |date=March 8, 2021 |accessdate= 2022-03-16 |url= https://themontrealeronline.com/2021/03/thomas-mulcair-from-a-life-in-politics-to-a-new-career/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220316181824/https://themontrealeronline.com/2021/03/thomas-mulcair-from-a-life-in-politics-to-a-new-career/ |archive-date = 2022-03-16|quote=Tom is believer in social justice and has been a member of the NDP since he was 19 }}</ref> During his penultimate year, he was elected president of the McGill Law Students Association, and sat on the council of the McGill Student Union. He obtained his degree in [[Quebec law|Civil Law]] in 1976, graduated in [[common law]] in 1977, and was admitted to the Bar in 1979.<ref name="anq" />

[[File:Mulcair-CatherinePinas-NB.jpg|thumbnail|right|Tom Mulcair and wife Catherine Pinhas in New Brunswick, 2015]]
In 1976, Mulcair married Catherine Pinhas, a [[psychologist]] who was born in France to a [[Sephardic Jews|Sephardic Jewish]] family from Turkey.<ref>{{cite web|author=Yaffe, Barbara|date=March 17, 2012|title=Questions surround Mulcair as NDP leadership vote looms|url=http://www2.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=6319273&p=2|publisher=[[Postmedia News]]|access-date=March 26, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131120162306/http://www2.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=6319273&p=2|archive-date=November 20, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cjnews.com/index.php?q=node/89616 |title=New NDP leader strongly backs Israel &#124; The Canadian Jewish News |publisher=Cjnews.com |date=2012-03-26 |access-date=2014-07-18}}</ref> The couple have two sons. The oldest, Matt, is a sergeant in the [[Sûreté du Québec]] (Quebec provincial police) and married to Jasmyne Côté, an elementary school teacher; they have two children, Juliette and Raphaël. Mulcair and Pinhas's second son, Greg, is an aerospace engineer who teaches physics and engineering technologies at [[John Abbott College]] and is married to Catherine Hamé, a municipal councillor; they have one son, Leonard.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2012/04/09/thomas_mulcairs_wife_catherine_a_psychologist_and_political_confidante.html|title=Thomas Mulcair's wife Catherine a psychologist and political confidante - Toronto Star|newspaper=The Toronto Star|date=April 9, 2012|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ndp.ca/tom|title=Canada's New Democrats|website=ndp.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125030315/http://www.ndp.ca/tom|archive-date=January 25, 2018|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/mobile/mulcair-delivers-final-speech-in-house-of-commons-1.3974561|title=Mulcair delivers final speech in House of Commons|website=ctvnews.ca|date=June 14, 2018|access-date=June 15, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |title=House of Commons proceedings |series=House of Commons proceedings |network=[[CPAC (TV channel)|CPAC]] |date=14 June 2018}}</ref>

Mulcair has dual Canadian and French citizenship, and is fluently bilingual in English and French.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/thomas-mulcair-defends-dual-citizenship-1.1184291 | title=Thomas Mulcair defends dual citizenship|publisher=CBC News|agency=The Canadian Press|date=17 Jan 2012|access-date=18 July 2014}}</ref> He calls himself "Tom" in English and "Thomas" in French.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/french-language-debate-five-party-leaders-1.3242417|title=French-language debate triggers hot exchanges on niqab, economy, national unity|publisher=[[CBC News]]|date=2015-09-24}}</ref> In 2019, Mulcair said that he had been using [[Homeopathy|homeopathic]] remedies, considered a pseudoscience by mainstream science, for about 30 years.<ref name=":0" />

== Early career ==
Mulcair moved to [[Quebec City]] to work in the Legislative Affairs branch in Quebec's [[Ministry of Justice]] from 1978-1980 and in the Legal Affairs Directorate of the [[Conseil supérieur de la langue française (Quebec)|Superior Council of the French Language]] 1980-1982.<ref name="anq">{{cite web|title= Thomas J. Mulcair: Biography |publisher= Assemblée nationale du Québec |date=January 2021 |accessdate=2022-03-15 | url=http://www.assnat.qc.ca/en/deputes/mulcair-thomas-j-4595/biographie.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220315230100/http://www.assnat.qc.ca/en/deputes/mulcair-thomas-j-4595/biographie.html |archive-date =2022-03-15 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://thomasmulcair.ca/site/about/?lang=en |title=À propos de Thomas |publisher=Thomasmulcair.ca |date=July 26, 1977 |access-date=October 16, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022223057/http://www.thomasmulcair.ca/site/about/?lang=en |archive-date=October 22, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>Gibb-Clark, Margo, Quebec's 'others': Life in a French world, The Globe and Mail, June 22, 1983, page A1</ref> He would also teach introductory law at [[Champlain College St. Lawrence|Saint Lawrence College]] 1979-1982.

In 1983, the Quebec government cut the salaries of civil servants by 20%, so Mulcair and his young family moved to Montreal to became director of legal affairs at [[Alliance Quebec]], a lobby group for the [[English-speaking Quebecer|English-speaking community]] in Quebec.<ref name="montrealer" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/ndps-tom-mulcair-plays-down-his-past-as-anglo-rights-defender |title=NDP's Tom Mulcair plays down his past as anglo-rights defender with election on the line |newspaper=National Post|author=Graeme Hamilton |date=July 17, 2015 |access-date=November 22, 2021}}</ref> During that time, he played a role in amending the [[Charter of the French Language]], in opposition to the goals of [[Quebec sovereignty movement|Quebec separatists]].<ref name="natobs">{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalobserver.com/2015/07/02/news/mulcair-redeemer|title=Mulcair, the redeemer?|publisher=National Observer|date= July 2, 2015|access-date=August 5, 2015}}</ref> In 1985 he began a private law practice and was named the reviser of the statutes of [[Manitoba]] following the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] ruling in the ''[[Reference re Manitoba Language Rights]]'' case. Mulcair also taught law courses to non-law students at [[Concordia University (Quebec)|Concordia University]] (1984), at the Saint Lawrence Campus of [[Champlain Regional College]] in [[Sainte-Foy, Quebec City|Sainte-Foy]], and at the [[Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières]].

Quebec Education Minister and former Quebec Liberal Party leader [[Claude Ryan]]  named Mulcair commissioner of the Appeals Committee on the [[Language of Instruction]] (1986–1987) to deal with illegal English Catholic schools set up in defiance of Quebec's language laws. Mulcair credits Ryan with becoming his political mentor during this period.<ref name="macleansbio" /><ref name="anq" /><ref>{{cite web |author= Thomas Mulcair |title=La méthode de Monsieur Ryan |work=Le Devoir |date=February 13, 2014|access-date=2022-03-22 |url=https://www.ledevoir.com/opinion/idees/399791/la-methode-de-monsieur-ryan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322192925/https://www.ledevoir.com/opinion/idees/399791/la-methode-de-monsieur-ryan |archive-date =2022-03-22 |quote= }}</ref>

Mulcair was president of the Office des professions du Québec (1987 to 1993), where he introduced reforms to make disciplinary hearings more transparent and successfully led a major effort to have cases of alleged sexual abuse of patients decisively dealt with.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/dynamicSearch/telecharge.php?type=2&file=/C_26/C26_A.HTM |title=Professional Code of Quebec |publisher=publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca |access-date=September 1, 2011}}</ref><ref>Lévesque, Kathleen, La Corporation professionnelle des médecins serait incapable de protéger le public, Le Devoir, August 5, 1993, page A2</ref> Mulcair was also a board member of the group Conseil de la langue française, and at the time of his appointment to the Office des Professions he had been serving as president of the English speaking Catholic Council.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thomasmulcairmp.ndp.ca/about |title=About Thomas Mulcair |work=thomasmulcairmp.ndp.ca |year=2013 |access-date=February 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303191354/http://thomasmulcairmp.ndp.ca/about |archive-date=March 3, 2016}}</ref>

==Provincial politics==
Mulcair first entered the [[National Assembly of Quebec|National Assembly]] in the [[1994 Quebec general election|1994 election]], winning the riding of [[Chomedey (electoral district)|Chomedey]] as a member of the [[Quebec Liberal Party]]. Mulcair claims he ran as a Liberal because at the time, it was the only credible federalist provincial party in Quebec. In that era, Quebec was the only province where the NDP was not fully organized; its Quebec wing had seceded in 1990 to preach sovereigntism.<ref name="thestar.com"/> He was re-elected in 1998, and again in 2003 when the Liberals ousted the [[Parti Québécois]] (PQ) in the provincial election.<ref name="natobs"/>

After the 1995 referendum, Mulcair was eminent in demanding an inquiry about the rejection of thousands of ballots for the 'No' side.<ref name="montrealgazette.com">{{cite web|url=https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-tom-mulcairs-harsh-fate|title=Editorial: Tom Mulcair's harsh fate|date=April 11, 2016|website=montrealgazette.com|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref>

According to ''[[Le Devoir]]'' journalist [[Michel David]], Mulcair is the person who coined the expression ''Pinocchio syndrome'', which was the title of a book by [[André Pratte]] published in 1997 about lies in politics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ledevoir.com/opinion/chroniques/81030/la-methode-mulcair|title=La méthode Mulcair|website=Le Devoir|date=May 5, 2005|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref> In the book, Mulcair speaks about why he believes lying is common in politics, because, according to him, "people feel free to manipulate journalists and say just about anything."

Newly elected [[Premier of Quebec|Premier]] [[Jean Charest]] named Mulcair minister of sustainable development, environment and parks. At the time of his appointment to Cabinet he had been serving on several volunteer boards including The Montreal Oral School for the Deaf, Operation Enfant Soleil and the Saint-Patrick's Society.<ref name="AboutTom">{{cite web |url=http://www.thomasmulcair.ca/site/about/?lang=en |title=About Tom « Thomas Mulcair |publisher=Thomasmulcair.ca |access-date=December 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330000757/http://www.thomasmulcair.ca/site/about/?lang=en |archive-date=March 30, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> During his tenure he was a supporter of the [[Kyoto Protocol]], and drafted a bill amending the [[Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms|Quebec ''Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms'']] to include the right to live in a healthy environment. The bill passed in 2006.<ref name="natobs"/>

Mulcair accused former PQ minister [[Yves Duhaime]] of influence peddling. Duhaime filed a defamation suit in 2005 and Mulcair was ordered to pay $95,000, plus legal costs.<ref>{{cite news|last=Seguin|first=Rheal|title= Quebec minister ordered to pay in defamation suit |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/quebec-minister-ordered-to-pay-in-defamation-suit/article18219250/}}</ref> In 2010 the provincial police anti-corruption squad in Quebec investigated Laval mayor [[Gilles Vaillancourt]] for allegations of bribing several provincial politicians. The probe contacted Mulcair to discuss a suspected bribe offered to him in 1994.<ref>{{cite news|title=Thomas Mulcair was offered (and refused) envelope full of cash, NDP leader told police|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/thomas-mulcair-was-offered-and-refused-envelope-full-of-cash-ndp-leader-told-police|newspaper=National Post|date=May 16, 2013|access-date=November 22, 2021}}</ref> Mulcair claims he never looked in the envelope and handed it back to the mayor.<ref>{{cite news|title=Conservatives demand Thomas Mulcair 'come clean' on 1994 bribe probe|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/conservatives-demand-thomas-mulcair-come-clean-on-1994-bribe-probe|newspaper=National Post|date=May 22, 2013|access-date=November 22, 2021}}</ref>

===Sustainable development and infrastructure===
On November 25, 2004, Mulcair launched Quebec's Sustainable Development Plan and tabled a draft bill on [[sustainable development]]. Also included was a proposed amendment to the Quebec ''Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms'' to create a new right, the right to live in a healthy environment that respects [[biodiversity]], in accordance with the guidelines and standards set out in the act.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca/communiques_en/c20041125-dd.htm |title=Sustainable Development: Because Quality of Life Counts!, Press Release, November 25, 2004 |publisher=Mddep.gouv.qc.ca |date=November 25, 2004 |access-date=June 5, 2010}}</ref> Mulcair's Sustainable Development Plan was based on the successful European model and was described as one of the most avant-garde in [[North America]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lavalnews.ca/papers/Ch13-10.pdf |title=Ch13-10.indd |access-date=June 5, 2010}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Mulcair followed the proposal by embarking on a 21-city public consultation tour, and the bill was unanimously adopted by the National Assembly of Quebec in April 2006.<ref name="natobs"/>

Accomplishments related to infrastructure included the completion of [[Quebec Autoroute 30|Autoroute 30]] between [[Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec|Vaudreuil]] and [[Brossard, Quebec|Brossard]], [[Quebec Autoroute 50|Autoroute 50]] between [[Gatineau]] and [[Lachute, Quebec|Lachute]], the widening of [[Quebec Route 175|Route 175]] between [[Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury|Stoneham]] and [[Saguenay, Quebec|Saguenay]], the widening of [[Quebec Route 185|Route 185]] from [[Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec|Rivière-du-Loup]] to the [[New Brunswick]] border and the introduction of a [[toll bridge]] which would complete [[Quebec Autoroute 25|Autoroute 25]] between Montreal and Laval.<ref>Meunier, Hugo, Prolongement de l'autoroute 25 : Les environnementalistes s'adressent à la Cour supérieure, La Presse, April 1, 2006, page A6</ref>

===Departure from cabinet===
In 2006, Mulcair opposed a proposed condominium development in the mountain and ski resort of [[Mont Orford]] National Park.<ref name="natobs"/> During a February 27, 2006 [[Cabinet (government)|Cabinet]] shuffle, Charest removed Mulcair from the sustainable development, environment, and parks portfolio, and offered him the lesser [[Minister of Government Services (Quebec)|government services]] portfolio.<ref name="natobs" /> His opposition to the government's development plans fuelled speculation that this was a punishment,<ref name="AboutTom" /><ref>Corbeil, Michel, Mulcair règle ses comptes: Malgré ses flèches à Charest, il reste député Le Soleil, Quebec, March 7, 2006, page A1</ref> which led Mulcair to resign from cabinet rather than accept the apparent [[demotion]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Gazette |first=The |url=http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=c5ad812f-0622-47de-959c-b4d36eab096c&k=76257 |title=Mulcair quits in a huff, The Gazette, February 28, 2006 |publisher=Canada.com |date=February 28, 2006 |access-date=June 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025121019/http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=c5ad812f-0622-47de-959c-b4d36eab096c&k=76257 |archive-date=October 25, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The testimony of Jean Charest, incoming environment minister [[Claude Béchard]], and the owner of the company pursuing the development plan, Andre L'Esperance, all contradicted Mulcair, saying that the Orford deal had been approved by Mulcair before he left.<ref name="Charest-testimony">{{cite web | url=http://www.canada.com/story_print.html?id=5822e4bf-fc9b-4dab-ae95-5fdb6f291e1a&sponsor= | title=I didn't Ok Orford: Mulcair | publisher=[[Montreal Gazette]] | date=31 March 2006 | access-date=22 September 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117233739/http://www.canada.com/story_print.html?id=5822e4bf-fc9b-4dab-ae95-5fdb6f291e1a&sponsor= | archive-date=January 17, 2016 | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="Bechard-testimony">{{cite web | url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/orford-deal-completed-before-b-233-chard-arrived-1.621736 | title=Orford deal completed before Béchard arrived | publisher=[[CBC News]] | date=7 March 2006 | access-date=22 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="L'Esperance-testimony">{{cite web | url=http://www.canada.com/story_print.html?id=26b82e8e-ac44-4557-b86b-90d73153f6f5&sponsor | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151107204600/http://www.canada.com/story_print.html?id=26b82e8e-ac44-4557-b86b-90d73153f6f5&sponsor | url-status=dead | archive-date=7 November 2015 | title=I never asked to buy Mount Orford | publisher=[[Montreal Gazette]] | date=26 May 2006 | access-date=22 September 2015 | author=Dougherty, Kevin }}</ref>

On February 20, 2007, he announced that he would not be a Liberal candidate in the [[2007 Quebec general election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2007/20/c2531.html |title=Mulcair will not be a Liberal candidate in the next election (press release distributed by Canada NewsWire), February 20, 2007 |publisher=Newswire.ca |date=May 28, 2010 |access-date=June 5, 2010}}</ref>

==Federal politics==

With his exit from the provincial Liberals, Mulcair explored an entry into [[politics of Canada|federal politics]], having discussions with the federal [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]], the [[New Democratic Party]], and the [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative Party]].<ref name="natobs" /> During this time he also considered a job with a prominent law firm's environment section.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/mulcairs-secret-meetings-with-the-tories/|title=Mulcair's secret meetings with the Tories|date=June 29, 2015|publisher=Macleans|author=Martin Patriquin|access-date=June 29, 2015}}</ref> Talks with the Conservatives failed because of differing views on the [[Kyoto Protocol]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://vancouversun.com/news/metro/top-federal-conservatives-back-mulcairs-explanation-for-2007-headhunting-talks|date=July 4, 2015|title=Top federal Conservatives back Tom Mulcair's explanation for 2007 talks, contradicting Maclean's report|work=Vancouver Sun|author=Peter O'Neil|access-date=November 22, 2021}}</ref>

Although Mulcair has identified former Quebec Liberal Party leader [[Claude Ryan]] as his political mentor,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thomasmulcair.ca/site/about/?lang=en |title=À propos de Thomas « Thomas Mulcair |publisher=Thomasmulcair.ca |date=July 26, 1977 |access-date=October 16, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022223057/http://www.thomasmulcair.ca/site/about/?lang=en |archive-date=October 22, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> his presence in the front row during a speech in Montreal by NDP leader [[Jack Layton]] in March 2007 led to speculation about his political future.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ledevoir.com/politique/quebec/134637/en-bref-mulcair-courtise-par-quatre-partis-federaux|title=En bref&nbsp;— Mulcair courtisé par quatre partis fédéraux|date=13 March 2007|publisher=Le Devoir|language=fr|access-date=18 July 2014}}</ref> Over the course of several months, Layton persuaded Mulcair to run for the NDP in Quebec, where the party had no seats.<ref name="natobs"/> On April 20, 2007, Mulcair confirmed that he would run for the NDP in the [[40th Canadian federal election|next federal election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://canadaeast.com/ce2/docroot/article.php?articleID=130492 |title=NDP recruits ex-Quebec environment minister Thomas Mulcair for next election |publisher=EarthEast |date=20 April 2007 }} {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070420/CPACTUALITES/70420014/1019/CPACTUALITES |title=Mulcair sera candidat pour le NPD |publisher=La Presse |date=20 April 2007 |language=fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929140520/http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070420/CPACTUALITES/70420014/1019/CPACTUALITES |archive-date=September 29, 2007 }}</ref>

===2007 Outremont by-election===
[[File:20070917-By-election-Tom-Mulcair.jpg|thumbnail|left|Tom Mulcair celebrates his by-election win with [[Jack Layton]]]]
Mulcair also became Layton's [[Quebec lieutenant]]. On June 21, 2007, in an uncontested nomination, Mulcair became the NDP's candidate in the riding of [[Outremont (federal electoral district)|Outremont]] for a by-election on September 17. Mulcair won the by-election, defeating Liberal candidate [[Jocelyn Coulon]] 48 per cent to 29 per cent; the seat had been a Liberal stronghold since 1935 (except for the 1988 election). [[Jean Lapierre]] suggested that Mulcair was likely aided by defecting [[Bloc Québécois]] supporters (the Bloc candidate had finished second in the 2006 federal election). In addition, Coulon's writings had been condemned by [[B'nai Brith Canada]]; the local [[Jewish]] community in Outremont made up 10 per cent of the riding demographics.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lcn.canoe.ca/lcn/infos/national/archives/2007/07/20070723-112515.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710090601/http://lcn.canoe.ca/lcn/infos/national/archives/2007/07/20070723-112515.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 10, 2012 |title=Jocelyn Coulon est contesté par le B'nai Brith&nbsp;— LCN&nbsp;— National |publisher=Lcn.canoe.ca |date=July 23, 2007 |access-date=June 5, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vigile.net/B-nai-Brith-has-many-reasons-to |title=B'nai Brith has many reasons to doubt Jocelyn Coulon |publisher=Vigile.net |access-date=June 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525011724/http://www.vigile.net/B-nai-Brith-has-many-reasons-to |archive-date=May 25, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

Mulcair contradicted many federalists by defending the Quebec NDP’s Sherbrooke Declaration, which claimed that a 50 per cent plus one vote is sufficient for Quebec secession.<ref name="montrealgazette.com"/>

Mulcair was only the second NDP MP ever elected from Quebec, following [[Phil Edmonston]] in 1990 (one previous MP, [[Robert Toupin]], had crossed the floor to the NDP in 1986). Mulcair is also only the second non-[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] ever to win Outremont, following [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]] [[Jean-Pierre Hogue]] in [[1988 Canadian federal election|1988]].

===Deputy Leader of the NDP===
[[File:2011-04-14 Montreal.jpg|thumb|Jack Layton and Tom Mulcair in Montreal, 2011]]
Mulcair was sworn in on October 12, 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/ndp-s-mulcair-sworn-in-takes-swing-at-bloc-1.681633|title=NDP's Mulcair sworn in, takes swing at Bloc|publisher=[[CBC News]]|date=12 Oct 2007|access-date=18 July 2014}}</ref> Earlier, he was named co-deputy leader of the NDP along with [[Libby Davies]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mulcair-says-ndp-poised-to-form-government-1.1140045|title=Mulcair says NDP 'poised' to form government|date=24 March 2012|access-date=18 July 2014|publisher=CBC News}}</ref> As the party's Quebec lieutenant, he worked to improve the standard of translation for the campaign's francophone party materials, with Layton's support.<ref name="natobs"/>

On October 14, 2008, Mulcair was re-elected as the MP for Outremont, making him the first New Democrat to win a riding in Quebec during a federal general election. He defeated the federal Liberal candidate, [[Sébastien Dhavernas]], by 14,348 votes to 12,005 (a margin of 6.4 per cent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://enr.elections.ca/ElectoralDistricts_e.aspx?type=1&criteria=h3g1a7 |title=Elections Canada&nbsp;— Electoral Districts |publisher=Enr.elections.ca |access-date=May 2, 2011}}</ref>

In the [[2011 Canadian federal election|2011 federal election]], despite facing a challenge from Liberal former federal justice minister [[Martin Cauchon]],<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.themetropolitain.ca/articles/view/965| title = Races to watch | access-date=August 5, 2011}}</ref> Mulcair was re-elected once more with 56.4 per cent of the popular vote, 21,916 to 9,204.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.elections.ca/scripts/ovr2011/default.html|title= OFFICIAL VOTING RESULTS FORTY-FIRST GENERAL ELECTION 2011|access-date=August 5, 2011}}</ref> The NDP became the Official Opposition for the first time ever, mainly on the strength of winning 59 of Quebec's 75 ridings, including Mulcair's.<ref name="natobs"/> This was a notable political event, nicknamed the "orange wave".<ref name="natobs"/>

===2012 leadership election===
{{main|2012 New Democratic Party leadership election}}
[[File:Thomas-Mulcair-NDP-Leadership-Acceptance-Speech.jpg|thumb|left|Thomas Mulcair gives his acceptance speech after being named NDP leader on March 24, 2012]]
Federal NDP leader [[Jack Layton]] died on August 22, 2011, following a battle with [[cancer]], and was honoured with a [[Death and state funeral of Jack Layton|state funeral]]. Mulcair stated that Layton's death had hit him exceptionally hard, and that while he was considering a federal NDP leadership bid, he would need several weeks to make up his mind on that decision.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/thomas-mulcair-concedes-hes-thinking-about-ndp-leadership-bid/article592518/|title=Thomas Mulcair concedes he's 'thinking' about NDP leadership bid|author=Les Perreaux|date=30 Aug 2011|access-date=18 July 2014}}</ref> On October 13, 2011, at a press conference in suburban Montreal, Mulcair declared his candidacy for the federal NDP leadership, scheduled for March 23–24, 2012. He attracted the support of 60 of the 101 other federal NDP MPs,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thomasmulcair.ca/site/supporters/?loc=COMPLETE |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131026180051/http://www.thomasmulcair.ca/site/supporters/?loc=COMPLETE |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 26, 2013 |title=Those who are supporting Tom's candidacy « Thomas Mulcair |publisher=Thomasmulcair.ca |access-date=March 25, 2012 }}</ref> including [[Robert Chisholm (Canadian politician)|Robert Chisholm]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Kirkup |first=Kristy |url=http://www.torontosun.com/2012/02/29/chisholm-throws-support-behind-thomas-mulcair |title="Chisholm throws support behind Thomas Mulcair", by Kristy Kirkup, February 29, 2012 |publisher=Torontosun.com |date=February 29, 2012 |access-date=March 25, 2012}}</ref> and [[Romeo Saganash]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/saganash-endorses-mulcair-for-federal-ndp-s-top-job-1.778618 |title=''Saganash endorses Mulcair for federal NDP's top job'', by The Canadian Press, March 7, 2012 |date=March 7, 2012 |publisher=Ctv.ca |access-date=March 25, 2012}}</ref> the only two to have dropped out of the leadership race.

Mulcair campaigned on reinventing the party, to strengthen its presence in Quebec, and attract voters in other parts of the country.<ref name="natobs"/> However, leadership rival [[Brian Topp]] and former NDP leader [[Ed Broadbent]] framed the race as staying true to the NDP cause under Topp, versus moving the party to the [[Centrism|political centre]] and away from its principles under Mulcair.<ref>CTV News coverage. March 24, 2012, approx. 10:10am EDT.</ref><ref name=Gazette-2012-03-19-Tandt>{{cite news|last=Den Tandt |first=Michael |date=March 19, 2012 |title=Mulcair's plans to renew party irk NDP old guard |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-mulcairs-plans-to-renew-par/137632634/ |newspaper=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]] |location=Montreal, Quebec |page=A10 |access-date=December 29, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

At the leadership convention, Mulcair was elected NDP leader on the fourth ballot with 57.2 per cent of the vote, versus Topp's 42.8 per cent.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/live/2012/03/ndp-leadership-convention.html |title=NDP Leadership Convention&nbsp;— CBC News Live |publisher=Cbc.ca |access-date=March 25, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324221316/http://www.cbc.ca/news/live/2012/03/ndp-leadership-convention.html |archive-date=March 24, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/mulcair-wins-ndp-leadership-vows-to-fight-politics-of-fear-1.786435 |title=Mulcair wins NDP leadership, vows to fight politics of fear &#124; CTV News |publisher=Ctv.ca |date=October 14, 2011 |access-date=March 25, 2012}}</ref> Broadbent went on to praise Mulcair's work as a parliamentarian.<ref name=natobs/>

===Leader of the NDP and Opposition ===
[[File:20150617-Tom-Mulcair-Rally-for-Change.jpg|thumbnail|right|Tom Mulcair at the Rally for Change]]
On April 18, 2012, Mulcair and his wife moved into [[Stornoway (residence)|Stornoway]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mulcair-takes-up-residence-at-stornoway-1.1258855|title=Mulcair takes up residence at Stornoway|publisher=[[CBC.ca]]|access-date=April 20, 2012|date=April 18, 2012}}</ref> He was sworn into the [[Queen's Privy Council for Canada|Privy Council for Canada]] on September 14, 2012, entitling him to the style "[[The Honourable]]" for life.<ref>New Democratic Party. [https://www.ndp.ca/news/tom-mulcair-sworn-privy-council "Tom Mulcair sworn to the Privy Council."] September 14, 2012.</ref>

His first year as leader of the NDP was plagued with several prominent defections. [[Thunder Bay—Superior North (federal electoral district)|Thunder Bay—Superior North]] MP [[Bruce Hyer]] opted to sit as an independent after being disciplined for voting in favour of the dissolution of the [[Canadian Firearms Registry]], a position counter to one strongly championed by Mulcair.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bruce-hyer-quits-ndp-caucus-to-sit-as-an-independent-1.1170157 |title=Bruce Hyer quits NDP caucus to sit as an Independent |publisher=Cbc.ca |access-date=March 23, 2013}}</ref> [[Jonquière—Alma]] MP [[Claude Patry]] later defected to the Bloc Québécois after disagreeing with the NDP's position to amend the ''[[Clarity Act]]'', another policy which was strongly promoted by Mulcair.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mulcair-calls-on-patry-to-resign-seat-after-defection-to-bloc-1.1303285 |title=Mulcair calls on Patry to resign seat after defection to Bloc |publisher=Cbc.ca |access-date=March 23, 2013}}</ref> The NDP did however manage to retain their seat in [[Victoria (British Columbia federal electoral district)|Victoria]] following the results of a close by-election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ndp-credits-pipeline-opposition-for-victoria-byelection-win-1.1152440 |title=NDP credits pipeline opposition for Victoria byelection win |publisher=Cbc.ca |access-date=March 23, 2013}}</ref>

Mulcair declared his party's support for [[trade]] deals that included enforceable provisions on [[labour rights]] and environmental protection.<ref name="sustainable">{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/fair-trade-sustainable-development-top-mulcairs-economic-agenda/article4098482/|title = Fair Trade, Sustainable Development Top of Mulcair's Economic Agenda|publisher= The Globe and Mail|date = April 5, 2012|access-date = August 5, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tom-mulcair-s-ndp-takes-vigorously-pro-trade-position-1.1128924 |title=Tom Mulcair's NDP takes 'vigorously pro-trade' position |publisher=Cbc.ca |access-date=March 23, 2013}}</ref> Mulcair also strongly opposed plans for the creation of the [[Keystone XL]] and [[Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines|Northern Gateway]] pipelines,<ref name="natobs"/> which included travelling to [[Washington D.C.]] to lobby against American approval of Keystone, and instead promoted the creation of a pipeline to carry western Canadian oil to be refined on Canada's east coast.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vancouversun.com/business/Mulcair+dismisses+Tory+charge+trash+talked+Canada+while/8110358/story.html|title=Mulcair dismisses Tory charge he trash talked Canada, pipeline while in the U.S.|publisher=The Vancouver Sun|date=November 24, 2001|access-date=March 23, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328013631/http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Mulcair+dismisses+Tory+charge+trash+talked+Canada+while/8110358/story.html|archive-date=March 28, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref> [[File:Mulcair Montreal.jpg|thumb|left|Tom Mulcair in Montreal with Quebec NDP MPs]]

During the [[Canadian Senate expenses scandal]], the NDP reasserted its longstanding position that [[Senate of Canada|Senate]] should be abolished.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-determined-to-abolish-senate-mulcair-says-1.1368951 | title=NDP determined to abolish Senate, Mulcair says | publisher=CBC | date=Aug 26, 2013 | access-date=8 August 2015 | author=Fitzpatrick, Megan}}</ref> Mulcair promised to seek a mandate for Senate abolition during the [[2015 Canadian federal election]] even though the Supreme Court had ruled in 2014 that abolition would require the consent of all ten provinces.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/senate-abolition-a-non-starter-despite-mulcair-s-push-1.3108540 | title=Senate abolition a non-starter despite Mulcair's push | publisher=CBC | date=Jun 11, 2015 | access-date=8 August 2015 | author=Hall, Chris}}</ref>

Nevertheless, following the election of [[Justin Trudeau]] as Liberal leader in April 2013 the political fortunes of the NDP appeared to be on the decline, with the party falling back to its traditional third place in [[Opinion polling for the 42nd Canadian federal election|public opinion polls]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/remaking-thomas-mulcair/ |title=Remaking Thomas Mulcair |author=Paul Wells|publisher=Macleans |date=January 23, 2015 |access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref> The party would go on to lose a June 2014 by-election to the Liberals in the previously safe riding of [[Trinity—Spadina (federal electoral district)|Trinity—Spadina]], which was made vacant following incumbent [[Olivia Chow]]'s decision to run unsuccessfully in the [[2014 Toronto mayoral election]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/with-olivia-chow-s-jaw-dropping-loss-can-the-left-ever-win-back-toronto-1.2815140 |title=With Olivia Chow's jaw-dropping loss, can the left ever win back Toronto? |author=Joshua Errett|publisher=CBC News |date=October 28, 2014 |access-date=June 2, 2015}}</ref>

By May 2015, however, the NDP had managed to recover much of its lost ground in public opinion polling and was in a tight three-way race with both the Liberals and Conservatives.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-jumps-into-3-way-race-with-conservatives-liberals-1.3079391 |title=NDP jumps into 3-way race with Conservatives, Liberals |author= Éric Grenier|publisher=CBC News |date=May 20, 2015 |access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/3-way-federal-race-would-have-unpredictable-outcome-1.3097243 |title=3-way federal race would have unpredictable outcome|publisher=CBC News |date=June 3, 2015 |access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref> Commentators pegged several factors, including Mulcair's opposing stance against the Conservative's [[Anti-terrorism Act, 2015|Bill C-51]] which the Liberals agreed to support and the surprise win for the [[Alberta NDP]] in the [[2015 Alberta general election|2015 Alberta provincial election]], as having helped revive the federal party's lagging fortunes.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2015/05/25/broadbent-voters-warming-to-ndp |title=Broadbent: Voters warming to NDP |author= Stephen Maher|work=Postmedia Network|publisher=Brantford Expositor |access-date=May 20, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/mulcair-in-with-a-chance/ |title=Mulcair, in with a chance |author=John Geddes|publisher=Macleans |date=June 5, 2015 |access-date=June 5, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://lfpress.com/2015/06/16/momentum-swings-to-ndp |title=Momentum swings to NDP |author= Stephen Maher|work=Postmedia Network|publisher=The London Free Press |date=June 16, 2015 |access-date=June 17, 2015}}</ref> The party also enjoyed success in getting two of its bills through the House at this time, the first of which abolished the so-called "[[tampon tax]]" on [[feminine hygiene products]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tampon-tax-will-end-july-1-1.3091533 |title='Tampon tax' will end July 1|author=Haydn Watters|publisher=CBC News|date=May 28, 2015 |access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref> while the second banned the use of "pay-to-pay" fees charged by banks,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conservatives-to-back-ndp-push-for-ban-on-pay-to-pay-bank-fees-1.3094991 |title=Conservatives to back NDP push for ban on pay-to-pay bank fees|work=The Canadian Press|publisher=CBC News|date=June 1, 2015 |access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref> although the latter was later blocked from the House floor by the Conservatives.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-bid-to-ban-pay-to-pay-bank-fees-blocked-from-house-floor-1.3099315 |title=NDP bid to ban pay-to-pay bank fees blocked from House floor|author=Kady O'Mally|publisher=CBC News|date=June 1, 2015 |access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>

===2015 election ===
Despite early campaign polls showing an NDP lead, the party lost 51 seats on election night and fell back to its former third place in Parliament. By winning 44 seats, Mulcair was still able to secure the second best showing in terms of the number of seats compared to Ed Broadbent's [[1988 Canadian federal election|1988 election campaign]]. However, this was still a smaller percentage than Broadbent had won in 1988 due to the increased number of MPs now represented in the House of Commons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tom-mulcair-ndp-caucus-post-election-1.3301863|title=NDP prepares to regroup at 1st post-election caucus on Wednesday - CBC News|website=cbc.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref>

During the election campaign, Mulcair's stance on the niqab issue contributed to a decline in the party's support in Quebec.<ref name="montrealgazette.com"/>

Mulcair's dual citizenship became an election issue,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://torontosun.com/2015/07/31/mulcair-cant-keep-dual-citizenship | title=Mulcair can't keep dual citizenship }}</ref> with a poll finding that 26% of respondents said his dual citizenship would make them less likely to vote NDP.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ottawasun.com/2015/10/01/dual-citizenship-no-help-to-ndp-leader-tom-mulcair-poll | title=Dual citizenship no help to NDP Leader Tom Mulcair: Poll }}</ref>

====Aftermath and leadership review ====

Following the election, Mulcair was criticized by some NDP members for having run on a moderate platform and promised to balance the federal budget whilst Trudeau's Liberals promised to run budget deficits in order to pay for social spending and economic stimulus programs; a position that was viewed as allowing the Liberals to outflank the NDP on the left of the political scale.<ref>[http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/after-tom-mulcair-what-s-next-for-the-ndp-1.2853692 "After Tom Mulcair, what's next for the NDP?"], ''CTV News'', April 11, 2016</ref><ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mulcair-ndp-leadership-1.3529013 "Rejecting Mulcair, NDP delegates vote in favour of new leadership race"]. [[CBC News]], April 10, 2016.</ref><ref name=natpost>{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/ndp-votes-52-in-favour-of-holding-leadership-race-thomas-mulcair-is-out|title=NDP votes 52% in favour of holding leadership race: Thomas Mulcair is out|work=[[National Post]]|date=April 10, 2016|access-date=November 22, 2021|last1=Gerson|first1=Jen}}</ref>

At the NDP's party convention in April 2016, Mulcair was also criticized by Alberta delegates for what was seen as implicit support for the [[Leap Manifesto]], a program which was seen as opposing Alberta's oil industry and thus a political threat to [[Rachel Notley]]'s NDP government in Alberta.<ref name=natpost/> At the convention, 52 per cent of delegates voted for a [[leadership review]] motion to hold a [[2017 New Democratic Party leadership election|leadership election]] within 24 months,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/04/10/new-democrats-soul-search-ahead-of-mulcairs-critical-leadership-review/#.VwqiUEIxjgN.twitter|title=NDP votes for leadership review; Mulcair likely out as leader|website=www.nationalnewswatch.com|access-date=2016-04-10}}</ref> marking the first time in Canadian federal politics that a leader was defeated in a confidence vote.<ref>{{cite news|title=A history of dramatic leadership reviews in Canadian politics|url=http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/a-history-of-dramatic-leadership-reviews-in-canadian-politics/|access-date=April 11, 2016|work=Maclean's|date=April 10, 2016}}</ref> Mulcair was asked by his caucus to remain as leader until his replacement was selected.<ref name="2016NDPConventionCBC">{{cite news | url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mulcair-ndp-leadership-1.3529013 | title=NDP votes in favour of holding new leadership race | work=[[CBC News]] | date=April 10, 2016 | access-date=10 April 2016 | author=Wherry, Aaron}}</ref> His tenure as leader ended at the [[2017 New Democratic Party leadership election|leadership election]] held October 1, 2017, with the election of [[Jagmeet Singh]] as Mulcair's successor.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ballingball|first1=Alex|title=Jagmeet Singh wins the NDP leadership race|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/10/01/jagmeet-singh-wins-the-ndp-leadership-race.html|access-date=1 October 2017|publisher=The Toronto Star|date=1 October 2017}}</ref>

In the days before the leadership vote, Mulcair confirmed his intention not to stand for parliament in the [[43rd Canadian federal election|next federal election]], expected in 2019, and suggested that he may resign his seat in the House of Commons as early as Christmas 2017 to accept one of the university appointments that had been offered to him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tom-mulcair-ndp-leadership-exit-1.4307981|title=Tom Mulcair says his legacy is to leave next NDP leader a truly national party - CBC News|website=cbc.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref>

Following the October 1, 2017 election of Jagmeet Singh as NDP leader, Mulcair was appointed energy critic in the [[New Democratic Party Shadow Cabinet of the 42nd Parliament of Canada|NDP's shadow cabinet]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ipolitics.ca/2017/11/30/mulcair-off-asia-committee-trip/|title=Mulcair off to Asia on committee trip - iPolitics|date=November 30, 2017|website=ipolitics.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref> Mulcair resigned as MP for Outremont on August 3, 2018.<ref name="brownstein cjad" /> His seat was won by [[Rachel Bendayan]] of the Liberal Party at the [[2019 Outremont federal by-election|triggered by-election]]. It was then retained with an increased majority at the [[2019 Canadian federal election|2019 general election]].

==Post-political career==
Mulcair announced on December 18, 2017, that he would resign from his House of Commons seat in June 2018, when the House rose for its summer break, to accept an appointment at a university.<ref name=retire>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-tom-mulcair-step-down-june-1.4455253|title=Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair leaving federal politics in June - CBC News|website=cbc.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref> On January 11, 2018, Mulcair assumed the volunteer position of chair of the board of Jour de la terre Québec, a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental issues.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/thomas-mulcair-to-head-quebec-earth-day-board|title=Thomas Mulcair to head Quebec Earth Day board|date=January 16, 2018|website=montrealgazette.com|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref> Mulcair joined the political science department as a visiting professor at [[Universite de Montreal]] effective the summer of 2018.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/ex-ndp-leader-tom-mulcair-to-teach-at-universite-de-montreal-post-politics|title=Ex-NDP leader Tom Mulcair to teach at Universite de Montreal post-politics|date=February 2, 2018|newspaper=National Post|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref>

On July 17, 2018, Mulcair also announced that he had accepted a position as political analyst on Montreal talk radio station [[CJAD]] effective August 28, 2018.<ref name="brownstein cjad">{{cite news |last1=Brownstein |first1=Bill |title=Ex-NDP leader Tom Mulcair joining CJAD as political analyst |url=https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/brownstein-ex-ndp-leader-tom-mulcair-to-join-cjad-as-new-political-analyst |access-date=July 19, 2018 |work=Montreal Gazette |date=July 17, 2018}}</ref> He will also appear on [[CTV News Channel (Canada)|CTV News Channel]] (owned by CJAD's parent company [[Bell Media]]) starting in fall 2018,<ref>{{cite news |title=Tom Mulcair joins CJAD 800 as station's new political analyst |url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/tom-mulcair-joins-cjad-800-as-station-s-new-political-analyst-1.4016389 |access-date=July 19, 2018 |work=CTV News Montreal |date=July 17, 2018 |language=en-CA |quote=After Labour Day, he'll be on twice weekly with CTV News Channel.}}</ref> and on the French-language network [[TVA (Canada)|TVA]] in a similar capacity.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair to be political pundit on Quebec TV and radio |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/former-ndp-leader-tom-mulcair-to-be-political-pundit-on-quebec-tv-and-radio-1.4018038 |access-date=July 19, 2018 |work=CTV News |agency=The Canadian Press |date=July 18, 2018 |language=en-CA |quote=And the fluently bilingual Mulcair will be giving his political opinions on the French-language TVA network as of Aug. 13, appearing on a show called 'La Joute.'}}</ref>

As a consultant hired by [[homeopathy]] giant [[Boiron]], Mulcair launched in November 2019 the company’s public relations campaign to get the Quebec government to create a [[professional order]] for homeopaths. As homeopathy is considered a [[pseudoscience]] and its preparations are not effective for treating any medical condition,<ref name="ernst">{{cite journal |last1=Ernst |first1=E. |author-link=Edzard Ernst|title=A systematic review of systematic reviews of homeopathy |journal=British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology |volume=54 |issue=6 |pages=577–82 |year=2002 |pmid=12492603 |pmc=1874503 |doi=10.1046/j.1365-2125.2002.01699.x}}</ref><ref name="plac">{{cite journal |last1=Shang |first1=Aijing |last2=Huwiler-Müntener |first2=Karin |last3=Nartey |first3=Linda |last4=Jüni |first4=Peter |last5=Dörig |first5=Stephan |last6=Sterne |first6=Jonathan AC |last7=Pewsner |first7=Daniel |last8=Egger |first8=Matthias |title=Are the clinical effects of homoeopathy placebo effects? Comparative study of placebo-controlled trials of homoeopathy and allopathy |journal=The Lancet |volume=366 |pages=726–32 |year=2005 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67177-2 |pmid=16125589 |issue=9487|s2cid=17939264 }}</ref><ref name=inq>{{cite web |date=February 22, 2010 |title=Evidence Check 2: Homeopathy – Science and Technology Committee |publisher=[[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|British House of Commons]] Science and Technology Committee |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmsctech/45/4504.htm |access-date=April 5, 2014 }}</ref> Mulcair’s involvement in the campaign and the new organization [[Quebec Coalition for Homeopathy]] has been criticized by several Canadian science communicators, such as [[Olivier Bernard (pharmacist)|Olivier Bernard]], [[Alain Vadeboncoeur]], [[Timothy Caulfield]] as well as McGill University’s [[Office for Science and Society]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/thomas-mulcair-tells-journalists-homeopathy-works-him|title=Thomas Mulcair tells journalists homeopathy works for him|first=Jonathan|last=Jarry|publisher=McGill Office for Science and Society|date=November 20, 2019|access-date=November 22, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/201911/22/01-5250739-plaidoyer-pour-la-science.php|title=La science n'est pas soluble dans l'homéopathie|last=Hachey|first=Isabelle|date=November 22, 2019|work=La Presse|access-date=November 24, 2019|language=fr}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/ex-ndp-leader-tom-mulcair-featured-at-pro-homeopathy-conference-in-montreal-1.4692828|title=Ex-NDP leader Tom Mulcair featured at pro-homeopathy conference in Montreal|date=November 19, 2019|work=Canadian Press|access-date=November 24, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.985fm.ca/extraits-audios/opinions/265714/thomas-mulcair-a-la-defense-de-l-homeopathie-olivier-bernard-pharmacien|title=Thomas Mulcair à la défense de l'homéopathie: Olivier Bernard, pharmacien|date=November 20, 2019|last=Lagacé|first=Patrick|type=Radio interview|language=fr}}{{Dead link|date=April 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.journaldequebec.com/2019/11/20/lurgentologue-alain-vadeboncoeur-ny-va-pas-de-main-morte-sur-lhomeopathie|title=L'urgentologue Alain Vadeboncoeur n'y va pas de main morte sur l'homéopathie|last=Labranche|first=Michaël|language=fr|date=November 20, 2019|work=Journal de Québec|access-date=November 24, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lesoleil.com/actualite/science/les-fameuses-preuves-defficacite-de-lhomeopathie-acff5cee9a67da4798d0ea3813602d37|title=Les fameuses "preuves" d'efficacité de l'homéopathie...|last=Cliche|first=Jean-François|date=November 20, 2019|work=Le Soleil|access-date=November 24, 2019|language=fr}}</ref>

After being voted out as NDP party leader, Mulcair criticized Singh's leadership of the NDP during the 2019 and 2025 federal elections.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/recent-comments-by-thomas-mulcair-has-some-wondering-if-he-is-attempting-to-undermine-jagmeet-singh| title = Is Thomas Mulcair trying to undermine Jagmeet Singh? {{!}} National Post| newspaper = National Post| date = January 25, 2019| last1 = Forrest| first1 = Maura}}</ref> In 2020, he would also criticize Singh for calling [[Bloc Quebecois]] MP [[Alain Therrien]] a racist on the floor of the House of Commons.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/politics/racism-allegation-blanchet-wants-singh-to-apologize-or-face-severe-consequence-1.4989772 | title=Racism allegation: Blanchet wants Singh to apologize or face 'severe' consequence | date=June 18, 2020 }}</ref>

==Political positions==

===Abortion===
Mulcair is [[pro-choice]], and has stated at a conference in Quebec that people with an anti-abortion stance are not welcome to run for NDP, saying, "It's not debatable, it's not negotiable, it is a woman's right to determine her own health questions and her reproductive choices."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/no-anti-abortion-candidates-allowed-to-run-for-ndp-mulcair-1.1812400|title=No anti-abortion candidates allowed to run for NDP: Mulcair|first=Andrea|last=Janus|date=May 8, 2014|access-date=June 22, 2014|work=CTV News}}</ref>

===Economic policy===
[[File:20150721-ON-Tom-Mulcair.jpg|thumbnail|right|Tom Mulcair visiting Cambridge's Innovative Steam Technologies]]
Mulcair supports lowering the small business tax rate from 11 per cent to 9 per cent because they create "80% of all new jobs in this country".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mulcair-unveils-more-platform-planks-tax-relief-for-small-biz-manufacturers-1.2207624|title=Mulcair unveils more platform planks: tax relief for small biz, manufacturers|first=Joan|last=Bryden|date=January 27, 2015|website=ctvnews.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref> He said an NDP government would "create an innovation tax credit to encourage manufacturers to invest in machinery, equipment and property used in research and development".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mulcair-unveils-more-platform-planks-tax-relief-for-small-biz-manufacturers-1.2932982|title=Mulcair unveils more platform planks: tax relief for small biz, manufacturers - CBC News|website=cbc.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref>

Mulcair has proposed reversing some of the corporate tax cuts advanced by the Conservative government, while keeping taxes below the United States' combined [[Corporate tax in the United States|corporate tax rate]]. Mulcair has stated that he will not raise personal income taxes, but has promised to cancel the Conservative government's [[income splitting]] for two-parent households.<ref name="corptax">{{cite news| url = https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/08/04/thomas-mulcair-makes-his-case-for-boosting-corporate-tax-rate.html| title = Thomas Mulcair makes his case for boosting corporate tax rate | date = August 4, 2015 | publisher = The Toronto Star }}</ref>

Mulcair has promised to use additional tax revenue to pay for infrastructure, public transit, a new child care program, and a balanced budget.<ref name="natobs"/><ref name="corptax"/>

===Energy policy===
Mulcair has promised to end [[fossil fuel subsidies]] under previous governments, and introduce [[emissions trading|cap-and-trade]] for carbon emissions. He has also promised to reverse cuts to the environmental review processes, and return to "rigorous, science-based environmental impact assessments".<ref name="natobs"/>

===Indigenous relations===
[[File:20150707-Montreal-Tom-Mulcair.jpg|thumbnail|Tom Mulcair and Grand Chief [[Perry Bellegarde]] at the [[Assembly of First Nations|AFN]] General Assembly]]
In response to the [[Idle No More]] movement, Mulcair said that the NDP would put a filter on decisions made to ensure that they respect court rulings and international obligations to [[Indigenous peoples in Canada]].<ref>{{cite news | url = https://ipolitics.ca/2013/04/12/mulcair-gives-a-glimpse-of-what-ndp-platform-may-look-like/ | publisher = iPolitics | title = Mulcair gives a glimpse of what NDP platform may look like }}</ref> He also pledged to call a national public inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women within 100 days of taking office, if his party is elected.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tom-mulcair-vows-aboriginal-women-inquiry-within-100-days-if-ndp-elected-1.2748280 |title=Tom Mulcair vows aboriginal women inquiry within 100 days if NDP elected |author= Susana Mas|publisher=CBC News |date=August 27, 2014 |access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref>

Mulcair called for a “nation-to-nation” relationship with Indigenous peoples following the [[Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada|Truth and Reconciliation Commission]]’s report on residential schools. He said his “number 1” priority would be to improve First Nations education.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mulcair-calls-for-nation-to-nation-approach-after-residential-schools-report-1.2404572|title=Mulcair calls for 'nation to nation' approach after residential schools report|first=Michelle|last=Zilio|date=June 3, 2015|website=ctvnews.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref>

===Public safety===
Mulcair has been critical of Conservative public safety policy, saying cuts to food inspection and aeronautical safety have put Canadians at risk.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/mulcair-says-tory-cuts-put-public-safety-at-risk-1.1287283|title=Mulcair says Tory cuts put public safety at risk - CBC News|website=cbc.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref> He also “criticized previous governments for allowing rail companies to police their own safety and called on Ottawa to take a more active role in doing that job” after the Lac Mégantic tragedy in Quebec.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/rail-safety-needs-government-enforcement-not-luck-mulcair-says-1.2490324|title=NDP leader calls for more government enforcement on rail safety - CBC News|website=cbc.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref>

Mulcair supports the longstanding NDP policy to decriminalize personal use of marijuana.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/mulcair-clarifies-stand-on-marijuana-in-time-for-420-pot-holiday/article4101804/|title=Mulcair clarifies stand on marijuana in time for 4/20 'pot holiday'|access-date=March 31, 2018|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=April 20, 2012|last1=Bryden|first1=Joan}}</ref> Mulcair has stated that he does not believe that someone should serve jail time for minimal possession of marijuana; but he has also stated that he does not support legalization.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mulcair clarifies stand on marijuana in time for 4/20 'pot holiday'|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/mulcair-clarifies-stand-on-marijuana-in-time-for-420-pot-holiday/article4101804/|first=Joan|last=Bryden|date=April 20, 2012|access-date=June 22, 2014|work=The Globe and Mail}}</ref>

===Women's issues===
As NDP finance critic, Mulcair was critical of Stephen Harper’s 2009 budget because of “pay equity reforms which he said would remove the right of women to go to court to demand equal pay for work of equal value”.<ref name="cbc.ca">{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/early-reviews-mixed-from-ignatieff-more-expected-wednesday-1.837382|title=CBC.ca - watch, listen, and discover with Canada's Public Broadcaster|website=CBC|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref> He said that “the NDP could never support a budget package that maintained that sort of measure”.<ref name="cbc.ca"/>

In 2014, as NDP leader, Mulcair announced that “an NDP government would launch a national public enquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women within 100 days of taking office”.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tom-mulcair-vows-aboriginal-women-inquiry-within-100-days-if-ndp-elected-1.2748280|title=NDP promises inquiry into 'systemic' violence against aboriginal women - CBC News|website=cbc.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref> Mulcair believes that “only a full public inquiry would get to the root causes of violence against aboriginal women”.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mulcair-premiers-call-for-inquiry-into-missing-aboriginal-women-1.1978805|title=Mulcair, premiers call for inquiry into missing aboriginal women|date=August 27, 2014|website=ctvnews.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref>

===Foreign policy===
Mulcair believes that Canada can be a "positive force for peace, justice and respect for human rights around the world".<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/08/10/tom_mulcair_canadians_want_balanced_and_principled_approach_to_mideast_conflict.html|title=Opinion - Tom Mulcair: Canadians want balanced and principled approach to Mideast conflict|newspaper=The Toronto Star|date=August 10, 2014 |access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref> During a policy speech in May 2015, Mulcair announced the NDP would "increase overall funding for development assistance and ensure that poverty alleviation remains at the centre of Canadian aid efforts".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/mulcair-promises-abortion-funding-for-foreign-aid-projects/article24411500/|title=Mulcair promises abortion funding for foreign-aid projects|access-date=March 31, 2018|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=May 12, 2015 |last1=MacKrael |first1=Kim }}</ref>

Mulcair has been an opponent of Canada’s involvement in the combat mission in Iraq against ISIS.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/mulcair-on-iraq-we-think-it-s-wrong-for-canada-to-be-involved-1.2291716|title=Mulcair on Iraq: 'We think it's wrong for Canada to be involved'|first=Michelle|last=Zilio|date=March 22, 2015|website=ctvnews.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref>

In a 2008 interview, Mulcair said he is "an ardent supporter of Israel in all instances and circumstances".<ref name="cjnews.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.cjnews.com/canada/new-ndp-leader-strongly-backs-israel|title=New NDP leader strongly backs Israel - The Canadian Jewish News|date=March 26, 2012|website=cjnews.com|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref> Progressive Canadian newspaper ''[[Rabble.ca|Rabble]]'' commented that given these statements were made in the context of the [[2008-2009 Gaza war|Israeli attacks on Gaza]], they constituted a tacit support for [[Israeli war crimes]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Christoff |first1=Stefan |title=Why the NDP silence on Palestine? |url=https://rabble.ca/politics/canadian-politics/why-ndp-silence-palestine/ |work=rabble.ca |date=10 February 2012}}</ref> In 2014, an article in the ''[[Globe and Mail]]'' commented that Mulcair had a "personal commitment to the Zionist cause", given his wife's Jewish ancestry.<ref>{{cite news |title=What Gaza tells us about Canadian politics |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/what-gaza-tells-us-about-canadian-politics/article19946283/ |work=The Globe and Mail |date=7 August 2014 |language=en-CA}}</ref> In a 2012 interview, Mulcair said he favored a two-state solution. In the same interview, Mulcair said while he opposed Israeli settlements as contrary to international law, he nevertheless considers himself supporive of Israel.<ref name="iranpeace">{{cite web | url = https://www.straight.com/news/ndp-leader-thomas-mulcair-favours-peace-iran-and-says-sanctions-are-working | title = NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair favours peace with Iran and says sanctions are working | author = Charlie Smith | publisher = The Georgia Straight | date = May 9, 2012 }}</ref> Mulcair called the pro-Palestinian [[Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions]] Movement against Israel as "grossly unacceptable".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/what-gaza-tells-us-about-canadian-politics/article19946283/|title=What Gaza tells us about Canadian politics|access-date=March 31, 2018|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=August 7, 2014 |last1=Yakabuski |first1=Konrad }}</ref> In the [[2015 Canadian election]], Mulcair blocked four NDP candidates who were critical of Israeli policies.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Canada |first1=Independent Jewish Voices |title=Independent Jewish Voices Canada condemns NDP removal of federal candidate for tweets criticizing Israel |url=https://rabble.ca/politics/canadian-politics/independent-jewish-voices-canada-condemns/ |work=rabble.ca |date=27 June 2019}}</ref>

In a 2012 interview, Mulcair supported sanctions against Iran, but opposed a pre-emptive military attack on its nuclear program.<ref name="iranpeace"/>

==Electoral record==
{{1994 Quebec general election/Chomedey}}
{{1998 Quebec general election/Chomedey}}
{{2003 Quebec general election/Chomedey}}
{{2007 Canadian federal by-elections/Outremont}}
{{2008 Canadian federal election/Outremont}}
{{2011 Canadian federal election/Outremont}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"| '''[[2012 New Democratic Party leadership election|NDP Federal Leadership Election, 2012]]'''
|-
! Candidate !! First Ballot !! % !! Second Ballot !! % !! Third Ballot !! % !! Fourth Ballot !! %
|-
| Thomas Mulcair || 19,728 || 30.30 || 23,902 || 38.25 || 27,488 || 43.82 || 33,881 || 57.22
|-
| [[Brian Topp]] || 13,915 || 21.37 || 15,624 || 25.0 || 19,822 || 31.6 || 25,329 || 42.78
|-
| [[Nathan Cullen]] || 10,671 || 16.39 || 12,449 || 19.92 || 15,426 || 24.59 ||colspan=2| eliminated
|-
| [[Peggy Nash]] || 8,353 || 12.83 || 10,519 || 16.83 ||colspan=2| eliminated
|-
| [[Paul Dewar]] || 4,883 || 7.50 ||colspan=2| withdrew
|-
| [[Martin Singh]] || 3,821 || 5.87 ||colspan=2| withdrew
|-
| [[Niki Ashton]] || 3,737 || 5.74 ||colspan=2| eliminated
|-
| [[Romeo Saganash]] ||colspan=2| withdrew
|-
| Total || 65,108 || 100 || 62,494 || 100 || 62,736 || 100 || 59,210 || 100
|}

{{Canadian election result/top|CA|2015|Outremont (electoral district)|Outremont|percent=yes|change=yes|expenditures=yes}}
{{CANelec|CA|NDP|Thomas Mulcair|19,242|44.11|-11.57|&ndash;}}
{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|[[Rachel Bendayan]]|14,597|33.46|+11.84|&ndash;}}
{{CANelec|CA|Conservative|Rodolphe Husny|4,159|9.53|+1.55|&ndash;}}
{{CANelec|CA|BQ|Roger Galland Barou|3,668|8.41|-3.20|&ndash;}}
{{CANelec|CA|Green|Amara Diallo|1,575|3.61|+1.37|&ndash;}}
{{CANelec|CA|Libertarian|Francis Pouliot|216|0.50|&ndash;|&ndash;}}
{{CANelec|CA|Communist|Adrien Welsh|162|0.37|&ndash;|&ndash;}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes/Expense limit|43,619|100.00|&ndash;|$204,392.06}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total rejected ballots|426|0.97|&ndash;|&ndash;}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Turnout|44,045|62.42|&ndash;|&ndash;}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Eligible voters|70,559|&ndash;|&ndash;|&ndash;}}
{{CANelec/source|Source: [[Elections Canada]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://enr.elections.ca/ElectoralDistricts.aspx?lang=e|title=Election Night Results - Electoral Districts|first=© 2013 - Élections|last=Canada|website=enr.elections.ca|access-date=March 31, 2018}}</ref><ref>[http://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=can&dir=cand/canlim&document=index&lang=e Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815061116/http://www.elections.ca/content2.aspx?section=can&dir=cand%2Fcanlim&document=index&lang=e |date=August 15, 2015 }}</ref>|}}
{{end}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Thomas Mulcair}}
*{{Canadian Parliament links|ID=17141}}
* {{Quebec MNA biography|mulcair-thomas-j-4595}}

{{Canadian federal opposition leaders}}
{{NDP}}
{{Canadian federal election, 2015A}}
{{Charest Ministry}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mulcair, Thomas}}
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