NDP courts ethnic voters as it tries to expand its traditional base

OTTAWA — The NDP appears to be taking a page out of the Conservative handbook, reaching out to ethnic communities in a bid to expand its base.

Shortly after New Democrats passed a motion to rec- ognize Sikh human rights defender Jaswant Singh Khaira during their policy convention over the weekend, Leader Tom Mulcair was in the crowd glad-handing with South Asian delegates.

After pointing out the presence of many “cultural communities” at the convention, he indicated to reporters that the vote-rich, multicultural 905 region surrounding Toronto would be a key battleground in the next election.

“We’re doing the groundwork, we’re reaching out beyond our traditional base, we’re working with those cultural communities, we’re connecting with people who share our values and we’re going to make sure that they understand that we’re going to be there for them after the election when we form the government,” he said.

It’s no secret that the Conservative election strategy has centred on ethnic outreach with Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney leading the charge. NDP immigration critic Jinny Sims, however, believes Kenney may be in for a rude awakening.

Many ethnic minorities she’s spoken with are disappointed with his moratorium on parent and grandparent immigration, and live-in caregivers are extremely upset with the program aimed at giving permanent residency to those who commit to providing care to seniors and children for a period of time.

She argues many newcomers who came to Canada in the 1970s came as agricultural and mill workers and actually “feel a very close affinity with the NDP.”