Singh muzzles coalition talk in campaign’s final week
NDP leader riding surge in popularity following English-language debate
Heading into the final week of the election campaign, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh campaigned at a popular Vancouver market on Thanksgiving Monday in a bid to capitalize on his new-found momentum, but deflected questions on a potential Liberal-NDP coalition a day after he opened the door to the possibility.
At a campaign stop in Surrey on Sunday, Singh said he would “absolutely” be willing to work with other parties to prevent a minority Conservative government. On Monday, Singh appeared to retreat from that statement.
“That was not my position,” he said. “My position is this: We have a number of priorities and I want Canadians to know that they can vote New Democrat, vote as many New Democrats as possible, and all the commitments and priorities we told you about, we will fight hard to make sure they are put in place.”
Singh did not want to talk about a coalition government despite repeated questioning by reporters. He rebuffed a question on whether he would insist on NDP MPs in cabinet in a hypothetical coalition government, saying “I’m not negotiating the future today.”
Instead, Singh encouraged voters to push back against strategic voting that frames the election as a choice between the Liberal and Conservative parties.
“I reject that analysis, ” he said. “You’re not stuck with two choices. You can go beyond that.”
In a news release, the NDP also warned that the Conservative plan to cut infrastructure spending — stretching out $187 billion over 15 years instead of 12 years as promised by the Liberal government — would be deeply felt in Metro Vancouver.
While Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said his government would fund existing projects, TransLink’s Mayors’ Council has said the cuts risk uncommitted projects, such as the Broadway subway extension to UBC.
Singh has seen a boost in polls since his performance at the televised English-language leaders debate on Oct. 7.
A recent Angus Reid poll showed his favourability has shot up from 39 per cent at the start of the campaign to 59 per cent, making him the most popular national political leader. In comparison, Scheer lost ground at 38 per cent, while Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau stayed steady at 35 per cent. Singh’s popularity in the polls was reflected at Granville Island on Monday, where he cheered on runners participating in the annual Turkey Trot run. He was met with enthusiasm as he made his way down a boardwalk to the public market, taking selfies and exchanging handshakes and hugs with supporters and passersby.
“Keep up the pace, a fast pace,” said a runner, who wished Singh good luck with the campaign.
Alessandra Williams and daughter, Luzia, a Grade 6 student at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Elementary in Vancouver, patiently waited to approach Singh for a selfie.
“We’re learning about the elections and the different political parties at school,” said Luzia, who was stoked about getting a photo with Singh. If she could vote, she said, she’d go with either the NDP or the Green party because of their stance on the environment.
At the public market, Singh made stops at a fruit stand and cheese shop. He also stocked up on boxes of doughnuts he planned to take to striking hotel workers at his next campaign stop outside the Westin Bayshore.
At a campaign stop in Winnipeg on Monday, Scheer warned against a potential coalition between the Liberals and the NDP.
Trudeau also dodged questions about a possible coalition at a stop in Windsor, Ont., saying he is focused on winning a majority.
“My focus is on electing a progressive government and stopping Conservative cuts,” he said.
Green Leader Elizabeth May, who was in Ashcroft with family for Thanksgiving, has said her party won’t support any minority government that doesn’t meet her standards for combating climate change. She has denounced the Tory climate plan and maintains the Liberal plan doesn’t go far enough.
Scheer was also in the Lower Mainland on the weekend, telling the editorial board of The Vancouver Sun on Saturday that a Conservative government would reopen consultations with First Nations along the defunct Northern Gateway oil pipeline route as part of a national energy-corridor strategy to access new Asian markets through deepwater ports.
It’s part of the Conservatives’ overarching election plan to reinvigorate investment in Canada’s energy sector, including the Alberta oilsands, that would also see a national carbon tax scrapped and replaced with green-energy incentive programs.
Pressed to explain how a national energy corridor would work as there are multiple projects with varied routes in Canada, Scheer said that the initial plan is to remove roadblocks for large projects that would get natural resources to deepwater ports, but also Quebec electricity to Ontario.
That would involve establishing a “geographic space” where the government can take a leadership role in addressing Indigenous consultations in a dynamic way, and determining the most environmentally sensible route, Scheer said.