Anne McGrath, Jack Layton’s chief of staff, talks about the NDP leadership race.

“As we search for a new leader, we are not going to get Jack Part II,” McGrath said in an interview. “What we’re going to get is a new leader who will have their own ideas and their own vision, but my hope is that it will be a vision and ideas that will carry on from the legacy that has been built up under Jack . . .

“It would be foolish to discard what we have built and I think our members and our voters who support us will be looking for us to continue to present a positive, forward-looking, progressive alternative to this government,” said McGrath.

The Star’s Joanna Smith comes away with the understanding that Ms. McGrath hasn’t ruled out running to be that next NDP leader.