‘Uninspired leadership’ mars Jagmeet’s one-year tenure
TORONTO: One year ago, Jagmeet Singh attracted international attention, becoming the firstever person from a visible minority background to capture the leadership of a major Canadian political party, winning the race to lead the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the very first round of balloting
Canadian media gushed over his historic achievement — the National Post described his ascent as a “game-changer”, while the Globe and Mail called him “Justin Trudeau’s worst nightmare”. By the end of October 2017, he had a national approval rating of 40%, according to national broadcaster CBC’S Leader Meter.
Now, 365 days later, that figure has receded to less than half, currently at 19%. The commentary in has also turned. Recent opinion pieces reflect the trend — “Things are looking very ugly for the NDP and Jagmeet Singh,” said the Ottawa Citizen, while the National Post noted that “NDP MPS (are) in a mutinous mood over Jagmeet Singh’s uninspired leadership”. Meanwhile, the Globe and Mail spoke of the “many travails of NDP leader Jagmeet Singh”.
Singh’s early tenure has been marked with missteps, including the changing stances he has assumed after a pair of videos emerged of him speaking at events that supported Khalistan. Singh, soon after his victory, had also voiced support for self-determination in Punjab. His tone has mellowed recently.
The NDP has lagged behind in polls and in fundraising, and it has been a difficult first year for Singh at the helm. However, Chris Cochrane, assistant professor of political science at the University of Toronto Scarborough, says that doesn’t mean the year ahead, leading to the October 2019 federal elections will follow a similar pattern.