It's crunch time for the seven people vying for the top spot in the federal New Democrat Party.
Seeking to make his mark on British Columbia voters is Brian Topp, a long-time NDP organizer based out of Toronto.
He visits Prince George tonight, fresh off of Sunday's debate in Vancouver - the last before the party membership makes their decision.
Topp will be available at at town hall meeting at Cafe Voltaire in Book and Company from 7 to 9 p.m.
B.C. plays an important role in the upcoming decision, which is already open to online advance voting. The province is home to the largest segment of voting members, with 39,859 on the electoral roll out of a total of 131,152 Canada-wide.
"This is a very exciting time for our party," said NDP national director Chantal Vallerand, in a press release. "Having so many people engaged in this race and participating in this democratic process shows a bright future for the NDP."
Topp served as Jack Layton's national campaign director during the 2006 and 2008 elections and was elected president of the NDP before stepping down to run for the leadership position following Layton's death last August.
Topp is vying to fill Layton's shoes along with MPs Thomas Mulcair, Paul Dewar, Niki Ashton, Nathan Cullen, Peggy Nash and businessman Martin Singh.
The NDP membership pick the new head of the Official Opposition at the leadership convention March 23-24 in Toronto, which recently announced a venue change to accommodate a larger-than-expected registration demand.
