SURREY - Surrey's New Democrat MPs don't believe Thomas Mulcair's win as new NDP leader will bode badly for the party's support in B.C.

Some pundits predict the newly elected leader of the Official Opposition will be spending a great deal of his time shoring up the party's gains made in Quebec under the NDP's late leader Jack Layton.

Mulcair, a Quebec MP, won the party's leadership on the fourth ballot, with 57.2 per cent.

Runner-up Brian Topp received 42.8 per cent of the vote on the fourth, capping off a race that began with eight candidates.

Both local MPs Jinny Sims (Newton-North Delta) and Jasbir Sandhu (Surrey North) supported Topps.

Sims said Tuesday that Mulcair enjoys "100 per cent" of the NDP caucus's support. He's "totally aware" of the need to build the party across Canada, she added.

Sandhu noted that B.C. has 12 NDP MPs.

"Absolutely B.C. will not be forgotten," Sandhu said. "He (Mulcair) is very much aware of the strong ties the NDP has with B.C.

"He will represent all Canadians, not only Quebec," Sandhu added. "I'm fully behind our new leader."

tzytaruk@thenownewspaper.com