NDP taking aim at suburban ridings
An energetic Jagmeet Singh came running on to a campaign-style set up in Ottawa on Sunday and later gave a window into how he sees himself as NDP leader — something equivalent to a high-risk stock.
Singh, a 38-year-old Ontario provincial politician named federal party leader on Oct. 1, is preparing to embark on an introductory tour in every province and territory before a party policy convention in February.
There’s no time to waste on the road to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Singh said in a speech to party faithful while he took aim at Liberal policies on the environment and electoral reform.
“You can be sure that we, New Democrats, will continue to push back and hold this government to account on all these issues and more,” Singh said.
“We have to be the party that inspires, that truly touches the hearts of people. We have to inspire because we have to win —we owe it to Canadians to do so.”
Part of Singh’s upcoming travel — set to include stops around Toronto and Vancouver — will speak to the party’s goal under his watch: to unlock potential in suburban ridings.
Singh concedes the strategy comes with risks but believes it is key to take on the Liberals and Conservatives in these battlegrounds.
“What I have been saying about my candidacy is that I am high risk, high reward,” he said.
“I feel like this is where we need to reach out to people, 35 per cent of Canadians live in suburban ridings. Those are places where it is fundamental for us to get out our message of progressive politics ... they are competitive but they are important, they are fundamentally important to building a coalition of folks to form government.”
If Singh can break into these ridings, it could represent a significant political shift for the party comparable to its historic breakthrough in Quebec, said former NDP national director Karl Belanger.
“I am talking about a geopolitical shift in the NDP universe on a scale that was seen in 2011 when the Orange Wave was created by Jack Layton and the NDP,” he said.
“Those areas are, in this country, key to form government and that’s what Jagmeet’s leadership brings to the table and it does have some Liberal organizers worried.”
There are no guarantees, however, that Singh can deliver in suburban ridings, noting the party must also stay connected with supporters in Quebec, where it has 16 seats.
The realities of Quebec voters are quite different than those around Toronto and Vancouver, he said, adding it will be a challenge for the NDP to connect with both.