Strength of Conviction

Globe & Mail Non-Fiction Bestseller Toronto Star Non-Fiction Bestseller
The inside story of Tom Mulcair’s rise from modest, middle-class beginnings to the threshold of power.

He has been called the strongest Opposition leader in the television era; he was also known in Québec as the provincial Opposition’s “pit bull.” Here, in his own words, and for the first time, is the inside story of Tom Mulcair’s rise from modest, middle-class beginnings to the threshold of power. Discover the man behind the headlines: who he is, how he thinks, and how he comes by the values that shaped his character. Unwavering in his convictions, he shares behind-the-scenes information on the reasons why he resigned as Québec’s minister of the environment under Charest; his decision to rejoin the New Democratic Party; and what it was like working closely with Jack Layton to help spearhead the “Orange Wave” that swept the NDP into power as the Official Opposition in the 2011 federal election. Alongside this, Mulcair also sheds light on such nation-defining events as past immigration and environmental policies, the Québec Referendum, Native residential schools and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the Harper government’s Anti-Terrorism Act.

In this book, Mulcair reveals his vision for the country, and his position on the issues that matter most — making Strength of Conviction an essential read for all Canadians with an interest in our nation’s future.

Tom Mulcair was born in Ottawa and raised in Laval, Québec. After attending law school at McGill University, Tom chose a career in the civil service and later in politics. He has served in a number of prominent positions, including as Québec’s environment minister. In 2012 Tom was elected leader of the NDP and leader of the Official Opposition.