NDP and Singh hit ‘big reset’ button
Leader’s chief of staff resigns in shakeup entering election year
Veteran New Democrat MP Charlie Angus says the surprise resignation of party leader Jagmeet Singh’s chief of staff is “the beginning of a big reset” as the NDP tries to gain traction with voters ahead of next year’s federal election.
The party announced Thursday that Willy Blomme submitted a letter of resignation and will step aside as Singh’s chief of staff for undisclosed “personal reasons” after her replacement is chosen.
Angus, the long-serving MP for Timmins—James Bay, said he has “enormous respect” for Blomme, who worked for former NDP leader Jack Layton and the left-leaning Broadbent Institute before joining Singh’s office last January. Angus said he believes her resignation is part of a wider shakeup in the party as Singh and his team try to shift focus to the 2019 general election.
“I don’t know how the decision was made, and I think Willy has probably recognized that she’s done good work in terms of working with the leader. But we’re at a point where we’re now moving into a whole other realm and we need to pick up our game really fast,” Angus told the Star.
“I think the leader, like the coach of a team, is shaking up the line a little bit so we are focusing on where we’ve been weak, and getting our caucus in adirection for next September,” he said.
“I do believe this is part of the beginning of a big reset and starting to move us into much more of an electoral mode, and much more of a team that is able to respond to issues as they arise.”
The NDP’s standing in polls has stalled far behind the Liberals and Conservatives since Singh won a commanding victory in last fall’s leadership race, defeating Angus and fellow MPs Niki Ashton and Guy Caron. Singh has encountered a series of challenges in his first year on the job, including questions about his appearances at Sikh nationalist events, allegations of inappropriate conduct and sexual harassment against two of his MPs, and disappointing byelection results.
The 39-year-old former defence lawyer and provincial MPP does not have a seat in the House of Commons, but announced in August that he will relocate to the west coast to try and win the vacant riding of Burnaby South.
Singh, meanwhile, took to Twitter Thursday to express his gratitude to Blomme.
“Willy is brilliant, selfless and determined to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Thank you Willy for everything you’ve done for our party & our movement,” he wrote.
Nathan Cullen, a New Democrat MP from northern B.C., said Blomme’s resignation is a “tough loss” for the party. “She’s such an incredibly smart person,” he said.
Cullen added that he agrees there is a need to revamp some aspects of the party as it tries to get election-ready. He pointed to changes to the party fundraising, which fell to about $5 million in 2017, two years after the NDP raked in more than $18 million in donations. Earlier this year, Singh revealed he is working without a salary until the party’s finances “significantly” improve.
“There’s an identified need to have a refocus and a reset with a year to go into the election, we’re not where we want to be,” Cullen said.
“We all have to get better, and if that’s a byproduct (of Blomme’s resignation) I suppose, then that’s nothing but good.”