Murray picks up Senate endorsement in Grit leadership race

JESSICA MURPHY, QMI AGENCY

OTTAWA — Liberal leadership hopeful Joyce Murray picked up her first caucus endorsement Tuesday.

Quebec Sen. Celine Hervieux-Payette is backing Murray for the Vancouver MP's policies on women's issues and collaborating with the NDP and the Greens in the next federal election to oust the Conservative government.

"Joyce is by far ahead of all the other candidates (in terms of policy)," she said.

Murray — the most left-leaning of the eight Liberal hopefuls — recently got the backing of environmental activist David Suzuki.

She also has the support of a number of third-party activist groups that support her vision.

The remaining candidates — Toronto lawyer George Takach dropped out Monday and endorsed Justin Trudeau —  all face a March 3 deadline to sign up as many supporters and members as possible to vote for the new leader.

The party announces the winner April 14.