The New Democratic Party鈥檚 first -- and so far only -- official candidate Peter Julian says he would work to make university, college and trades training tuition-free.

鈥淲e have to move forward and take off tuition fees so that we can actually provide access to post-secondary education, whether we鈥檙e talking about trades, or college or university,鈥� Julian, 54, told CTV鈥檚 Power Play on Monday.

鈥淗aving that education opened up so that people aren鈥檛 going tens of thousands of dollars into debt is an important way that we can move this country forward,鈥� Julian added.

It is not immediately clear how the proposal would work, considering that higher education and training is primarily funded by provincial governments and tuition fees.

Julian listed off other issues he said he 鈥渃ares deeply about,鈥� including homelessness, reconciliation with First Nations people and 鈥渘ational resources policies.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e not creating the good jobs, the value-added and manufacturing jobs that we need going forward,鈥� he added.

Julian is MP for the suburban Vancouver riding of New Westminster-Burnaby, where he has been elected four times since 2004.

Other possible candidates

So far, Julian鈥檚 the only official candidate in the race to replace Tom Mulcair when New Democrats vote in October. The first debate is less than one month away, scheduled for March 12 in Ottawa.

However, there are at least three other people considering joining the race.

MP Charlie Angus, the 54-year-old MP who represents the northern Ontario riding of Timmins--James Bay, launched a website in January to collect input

Ontario NDP Deputy Leader Jagmeet Singh, who represents the suburban Toronto riding of Bramalea鈥擥ore鈥擬alton, told CTV鈥檚 Your Morning last month that he鈥檚 鈥渟eriously considering鈥� campaigning for the job.

Singh, 38, is drawing attention this week south of the border with a new , which calls him an 鈥渋ncredibly well-dressed rising star.鈥� Singh told the magazine he got into politics in part because racism he experienced as a child made him 鈥渕ore sensitive and aware of the struggles people faced when it came to poverty, gender, and other systemic barriers.鈥�

There is also a social media campaign to MP for Manitoba riding Churchill鈥擪eewatinook Aski.

Ashton is also She recently said she was to make a decision.