Tom Mulcair's convention speech will put his NDP leadership on the line

TomMulcairknows the knives are out and pressure is on.

The federal NDP leaderfaces a divided party, with some members calling for his departure while others stand behind him, as he heads into a convention this weekend in Edmonton.

"It's probably going to be the most important speech of my political career," theNDP leader told Chris Hall in an interview on CBC Radio's The House.

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More than 1,500 delegates will review his performance after the party'sdisappointing third-place finish in the 2015 federal election.

Mulcair has been quiet about how much support he feels he needs to stay on as leader. According to the party constitution, anything less than 51 per cent of the secret ballots cast would trigger an automatic leadership race within the year.

"There's a reason I've been prudent about not giving a number," he said. "I know that tons of numbers have been put out there. The members are going to be pronouncing on Sunday and I'm going to respect their will."

'I've learned to become a much better listener'

Mulcair outlined three points he's hoping to make in his speech Sunday morning.

"I'm going to tell [members] how energized I feel, and how confident I feel with the depth of the experience and the expertise we have in every single riding," he said.

Mulcair says he willaddress how the party can continue to hold the governing Liberals to account.

"They mimicked a lot of our promises, but it wasn't there in their budget," Mulcair said.

He'll also examine what comes next for the party, saying that the NDP has "no option" but to come out of the convention united.

"We've always been that party that wants to remove inequality in our society, to create opportunities. What form is that going to take? We've got to chart ourselves a path forward for the next two, three years."

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Mulcairwas emphatic that he hopes to be the leader charting that path, if Sunday's vote goes his way. He added that the 2015 campaign taught him valuable lessons.

"I have learned how to become a much better listener," he said. "It wasn't a criticism so much leveled at me, as much as it was a realization for me."

Mulcair open to taking a leap

One of the big topics of debate at the convention continues to be what role the Leap Manifesto may play in NDP policy.

Unveiled in Septemberduring the election campaign, the Leap Manifestohas supporters from labour unions and environmental organizations, but Mulcair has yet to endorse the document.

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But if directed to do so by party members, Mulcair said he would support the will of the party.

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Activist Avi Lewis argues for Canada to adopt the manifesto's ambitious climate change agenda

He added it's important to discuss the ideas expressed within the manifesto, which include working towards a carbon-free economy by 2050 and instating a universal guaranteed income, even if the ideas might not work.

"I am thrilled, honoured and pleased that we're having this debate in the NDP," he said.

"Those ideas would never get discussed in the Liberal Party, they would never get discussed in the Conservative Party.

"That's why we talk about these big issues. Would I love to work towards a carbon-free economy by 2050? You bet. Do I think that's a good plan? You bet. But I also know that we live in the real world and we have to give answers for the next 30 years before we can get there."

Support for Alberta

Mulcairreiterated his strong support of the provincial NDP government in Alberta, pointing to Rachel Notley as an example for popular socialist politicians like U.S. presidential hopefulBernie Sanders and U.K. Labour Party LeaderJeremy Corbyn to emulate.

"If I were going to talk to you about a success for socialists, I'd talk to you about the success of the NDP getting elected here in Alberta," he said.

"Because as much as there are exciting ideas from Mr. Sanders and Mr. Corbyn, here in Alberta we've actually got a social democratic government."

Mulcair said Notley has been able to do "two things at the same time that people often found contradictory" wedding environmental goals with economic ones.

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"They're saying we have to protect good jobs here in Alberta, that we have a gift of resources, but we have to do that responsibly.

"It's not a question of 'you can't have a pipe from here to there,' it's a question of 'are you adding value to your natural resources, are you doing everything you can to create those jobs in Canada, and once you've done that, what else can you do to meet those international [climate]obligations?'

"Rachel Notley's NDP government is always going to have my full support in that," he added.

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