[1] Born in Sarnia, Ontario, he attended the Jesuit-run Brebeuf College School and then studied political science at the University of Toronto.
He then worked in the offices of MP Dan Heap from 1981 to 1986,[4] and city councillor Jack Layton from 1986 to 1991.
[5] In the 1991 municipal election, he was campaign manager for Layton's unsuccessful run for Mayor of Toronto.
[6] When Heap announced in 1991 that he would not run for reelection in the 1993 election, Leckie was considered a possible new NDP candidate for his seat in Trinity—Spadina.
[8] Leckie ran for the Ward 5 seat on Toronto City Council in the 1994 municipal election.