Dominic Cardy will keep his job as NDP leader

Dominic Cardy will stay on as the leader of the New Democratic Party after the party’s executive rejected his letter of resignation.

​Cardy had promised on Sept. 22 to quit after he and the party failed to win a seat in the provincial election.

The NDP leader was convinced to run in the Saint John East byelection, but he again came up short in his third attempt to win a seat in the legislature.

Despite the electoral setbacks, Stephen Yardy, the NDP’s executive director, said party members believe Cardy is the best person to lead the party.

I look forward to continuing to work with our team to ensure that this province is better served.- NDP Leader Dominic Cardy

“It is clear to me that the membership want Dominic to stay on and lead this party into the next election,” Yardy said.

The party official said a letter was signed at the NDP council meeting from former candidates and supporters endorsing Cardy’s leadership.

A party statement said Cardy was “humbled” by the request for him to stay on as leader.

“We have a lot of hard work ahead of us,” Cardy said in a statement.

“But I look forward to continuing to work with our team to ensure that this province is better served.”

During Cardy’s tenure as the NDP leader, the party surged in public opinion polls at one point.

The party also managed to win 12.98 per cent of the popular vote in the Sept. 22 election.

However, the party has not held a seat in the legislature since former leader Elizabeth Weir resigned in 2005.

Cardy finished third in the 2012 byelection in Rothesay and the Saint John East byelection.

Cardy finished second in Fredericton West-Hanwell on Sept. 22.

While Cardy failed to win a seat in the legislature, Green Party Leader David Coon was elected in Fredericton South in the provincial election.

Coon's election has coincided with an increase in popular support, according to a new poll.

A Corporate Research Associates poll released this week shows the Greens have nine per cent support from decided voters, up from the 6.6 per cent of the popular vote the party earned on Sept. 22.

The NDP were picked as the preferred party by 14 per cent of decided voters. When it comes to the best choice for premier, both Cardy and Coon were tied with 10 per cent support.

NDP offers a salary

For his first three years as the NDP leader, Cardy refused to draw a party salary.

However, the NDP's executive director said on Wednesday that the party voted to offer their leader a salary.

"No matter who our leader is, we have to be able to offer a salary, especially if we want a person as credible as Dominic," Yardy said.

Yardy said the salary will start in 2015 but he wouldn't confirm how much Cardy will be paid.

The executive director said it would be a "livable" salary and it would be paid until Cardy wins a seat in the legislature.

"We have a leader who can't afford to work for free for the next four years," Yardy said.

When Cardy first refused a salary, Yardy said the party was deeply in debt and had to regain control of its finances.

He said Cardy has put the party in a better financial position. 

There will also be more money in the party's coffers as a result of the increase in the NDP's popular vote in the September election.