Drake Batherson closing in on a return as Senators prepare to face Panthers

OTTAWA — Two separate paths to party renewal — and three very different contenders — have emerged as the race to choose the next leader of the federal NDP begins to take shape. While still in its opening weeks, the contest is already shaping up as a referendum over whether the NDP should double down on courting middle-class moderates or focus its energies on reconnecting with its traditional blue-collar base. “We’re starting to see two clear visions for the party emerge,” said former NDP strategist Erin Morrison, now a vice-president at Texture Communications. “One’s saying it’s got...