The Pollcast: How the NDP wants to tackle the challenges of 2019

The New Democrats face an uphill climb in October's federal election. Lagging in the polls and struggling to raise money, the party is looking to turn things around before this fall's vote.

The first test will be on Feb. 25, when a byelection in the British Columbia riding of Burnaby South will determine whether NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh gets a seat in the House of Commons in time for the election. But even if the byelection gives the New Democrats a bit of needed good news, the party still has a lot of work ahead of it.

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On the latest episode of the Pollcastpodcast, host and CBC polls analyst ric Grenier is joined by Marie Della Mattia, campaign co-chair of the NDP, to discuss how the party plans to fight the 2019 federal election campaign. A veteran of federal and provincial NDP election campaigns, Della Mattiadetails how the party plans to craft its message, where it thinks it can win and the challenges the NDP will face when the country goes to the polls on Oct. 21.

ThenTanya Fletcher, the CBC's provincial affairs reporter in B.C.,explains what's at stake for the B.C. New Democrats in the upcoming provincial byelection in Nanaimo. The Jan. 30 vote could decide the fate of B.C. Premier John Horgan's fragile minority government.

Listen to the full discussion above or subscribe to the CBCPollcastand listen to past episodes of the show.