NDP leadership rivals target Jagmeet Singh

VANCOUVER — Federal NDP leadership hopefuls lined up Sunday to take shots at rival Jagmeet Singh during the eighth and final debate in the campaign to replace outgoing leader Tom Mulcair.

Singh, an Ontario legislator, is the only one of the four candidates who is not a federal politician, and he bore the brunt of the attacks in what was otherwise a relatively congenial faceoff between rivals whose campaigns overlap more than they diverge.

Manitoba MP Niki Ashton, who appeared by live feed because of flying restrictions related to her pregnancy, questioned Singh’s dedication to the federal NDP because of his unwillingness to commit to running for a seat in Parliament if he loses the leadership race.

“I will be winning, and once I win, I will run federally,” Singh said, prompting some cheers from the audience. “I’m absolutely running federally. No question about it.”

Ashton responded with a reminder: “I want to acknowledge that it’s up to the members to decide who is going to win this race.”

The campaign’s two other candidates, Ontario MP Charlie Angus and Quebec MP Guy Caron, were also present for the debate.

Angus criticized what he described as Singh’s plan to restrict old-age security, the federal government’s largest seniors benefit program.

“I still can’t get over the fact that you would put a means test on oldage security at $70,000,” Angus said.

“Clearly you can’t hear what I’m saying. I’m saying I’m not changing — I’m enhancing the program,” Singh replied.

“I don’t think you agree with (old-age security). I think you agree with letting seniors living in poverty,” he told Angus, prompting gasps from the crowd. “Because if you don’t understand the plan, how can you criticize it?”

The NDP announced late last month that party membership had more than tripled since March, from 41,000 to 124,000 cardcarrying New Democrats.