CALGARY — The federal NDP leadership race has faced criticism recently about being stagnant and boring.

However, during a swing through Calgary this week, leadership hopeful Nathan Cullen, member of Parliament for the northern B.C. riding of Skeena-Bulkley Valley, says that's in the process of changing.

He says the criticism may have been fair early in the campaign but he insists he is "provoking new ideas and pushing things."

He says his team is taking full responsibility for mixing things up and making them interesting.

Cullen has made headlines for suggesting the NDP and the Liberals co-operate in elections in an effort to defeat the Tories.

He says his idea isn't just talk, he wants to do politics differently and plans to back it up with action.

The NDP will vote for a new leader on March 24.

After taking the party to official opposition status in the last election, party leader Jack Layton died of cancer last August.