The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the death of Alexa McDonough, former leader of the New Democratic Party:

“It is with sadness today that I learned of the passing of Alexa McDonough, former leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party and the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party.

“A social worker by training, Ms. McDonough led the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party from 1980 to 1994, and the federal New Democratic Party from 1995 to 2003. Throughout her career, she was a trailblazer for women in politics and an inclusive voice for progressive change in Canadian politics. In the House of Commons, Ms. McDonough was a strong advocate for gender equality, support for marginalized people, and a more compassionate government.

“Following her retirement from politics, Ms. McDonough served as Interim President of Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax for a year and continued her involvement in international development and peace advocacy work. She also received numerous honours over the course of her lifetime, including the Order of Canada in 2009, the Order of Nova Scotia and the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, and several honorary degrees.

“On behalf of the Government of Canada, Sophie and I extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Ms. McDonough, a dedicated public servant, a champion for social justice, and an inspiration to Canadians.”