NDP MP, leadership hopeful Niki Ashton is pregnant and pressing on

Manitoba MP Niki Ashton is expecting a baby in November, the NDP leadership hopeful announced Monday.

Ashton is one of six candidates seeking the party’s top job — a leadership race scheduled to wrap up in October, when rank−and−file members pick a successor to Tom Mulcair.

And she has no plans to slow down, despite her pregnancy, she said in a statement.

"I’m happy to share the news that I’m expecting," Ashton said.

"Like millions of Canadian women I will carry on my work. This means continuing to reach out to New Democrats, activists and progressives across the country to build a movement for social, environmental and economic justice for all."

Ashton said she intends to visit B.C. and the Atlantic provinces in the next two weeks.

Her competitors in the race include Quebec MP Guy Caron, Ontario legislature member Jagmeet Singh, Ontario MP Charlie Angus, former veterans ombudsman Pat Stogran and B.C. MP Peter Julian.

All six candidates participated in a debate Sunday in Sudbury, Ont.

Five other debates are scheduled over the next several months: St. John’s, N.L, Saskatoon, Victoria, Montreal and Vancouver.