Singh picks former rival to lead NDP in Commons
OTTAWA— Guy Caron, the Quebec MP who brought the province’s contentious debate on religious symbols and secularism into the NDP leadership race, will lead the party in Parliament until newly anointed leader Jagmeet Singh wins a seat. Singh and Caron made the announcement Wednesday, embracing each other in front of cheering party MPs in the foyer of the House of Commons. Singh said he tapped Caron for the job because of his “competence” as an MP, and to demonstrate the importance of Quebec, where the party has 16 of its 44 seats and achieved its historic breakthrough under Jack Layton in 2011.
Caron, who placed fourth in the party’s leadership race, has made the case that the NDP has no shot at victory in a general election without winning in the majority-francophone province.
“I’m confident that we will not only be able to maintain seats there, but because of our values and our unique offer that we will have for Quebec, we will be able to grow in Quebec,” Singh said.
Singh, a Brampton MPP since 2011, has said he plans to resign his seat at Queen’s Park as soon as possible, but he has made no commitment to become a MP before the 2019 election.
In the meantime, Caron acknowledged that he has big shoes to fill in taking outgoing leader Thomas Mulcair’s spot in the Commons. “I think I’ve demonstrated what I can do in the House,” he told reporters.
“My role is to be (Singh’s) voice, to be his representative in the House, and that is a great challenge that I’m impatiently waiting to tackle.”
The choice of Caron as parliamentary leader was notable for his role in bringing a divisive debate on secularism into the NDP leadership race.
Singh, a practicing Sikh who wears a turban and ceremonial kirpan, was questioned repeatedly through the final weeks of the contest about his position on Bill 62, a proposed law in Quebec that would ban people from wearing religious face coverings when giving or receiving public services.
This became an issue after Caron released a policy platform that said, while he personally opposes the bill, Ottawa should respect the will of Quebecers on the matter. He argued that Quebec’s history with the Catholic Church, which was closely linked with government and public life until the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s, has made secularism a priority for many people in the province.
Singh came out forcefully against Bill 62. He predicted that it would be struck down by the courts and told the Star that Caron’s position showed an “inconsistent understanding” of human rights.
Martine Ouellet, the leader of the Bloc Québécois, later accused Singh of representing the “rise of the religious left,” suggesting the Sikh symbols that he wears make him too religious for Quebec.
Caron responded Sept. 17 at the party’s leadership showcase event that there is a place for Singh in the NDP and Quebec.
On Wednesday, Caron and Singh said they’re now in complete agreement on the matter. Singh said all New Democrats “fundamentally” believe in the separation of religion and government, and also respect “all” human rights.
“We’re clear that Quebec has the jurisdiction to decide their future. At the same time, we are completely confident that we have laws that will protect human rights in Quebec.”