A pending announcement from a Toronto MP could make the NDP leadership race a little more interesting.

New Democrat finance critic Peggy Nash is scheduled to make a statement at Toronto's Gladstone Hotel on Friday that will clarify her leadership intentions.

If Nash decides to seek the NDP leadership, she will join a crowd of other confirmed candidates. She would also be the first woman to throw her hat in the ring for this particular leadership contest.

Nash was elected to represent the Toronto riding of Parkdale-High Park in the last federal election, a seat she previously held from 2006-2008.

In her previous stint in Ottawa, the 60-year-old Nash served as the industry critic and also as a public works critic for the New Democrats.

In the past, Nash worked as a senior negotiator for the Canadian Auto Workers.

Among the front runners at the moment are NDP Deputy Leader Thomas Mulcair and Brian Topp, a long-time party activist who was the first to formally launch a leadership bid.

New Democrat MPs Paul Dewar, Nathan Cullen and Romeo Saganash are also in the running, along with Martin Singh, a pharmacist and long-time NDP member.

The New Democrats are on the hunt for a new leader following the passing of Jack Layton in August.

Layton's hand-picked stand-in, Nycole Turmel, is currently serving as party leader.