NDP leader slams PM over pipeline in byelection bid

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh slammed Ottawa’s decision to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline while announcing Wednesday that he will be running in an upcoming byelection in Burnaby South.

The federal riding in Burnaby South will be vacated by MP Kennedy Stewart, after Stewart announced he planned to take a run at becoming mayor of Vancouver in this fall’s municipal election.

The byelection has yet to be scheduled, but must be called within six months of when Stewart vacated the seat in June.

Singh lives in Brampton, Ont., and served as a Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Bramalea- Gore-Malton in the legislative assembly of Ontario from 2011 to 2017. He stepped away from provincial politics after winning the federal NDP leadership race last October.

He said Wednesday that he will move to Burnaby if he wins the byelection. He also told the crowd that he would remain the federal NDP leader even if he loses the byelection.

“I’m running because people were betrayed by Trudeau on electoral reform. I’m running because instead of spending billions of public dollars on a leaky 65-year-old pipeline, we should be investing in clean energy jobs that are here for today’s workers and the next generation,” Singh said.

A statement from the Liberal Party of Canada said party members in Burnaby South are looking forward to a campaign focused on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “positive plan to improve the lives of families in Burnaby.”

“We wish Mr. Singh well as his party ’s candidate in the riding, and we’re looking forward to a positive campaign to contrast our ideas with the other parties.’’