Singh reveals his hypocrisy in punishing MP

NDP leader thinks it’s OK to meet with Sikh separatists But won’t Allow free vote on motion over attestation

Irony and hypocrisy often run hand in hand. On Parliament Hill, they are bedfellows.

Consider what has happened to NDP MP David Christopherson.

The Hamilton Centre MP was the lone New Democrat to vote in favour of a perfectly sensible Conservative party motion that better clarified the dictatorial and controversial Canada Summer Jobs attestation that all applicants had to sign to qualify for program funding.

The motion stated: “That

... organizations that engage in non-political, non-activist work, such as feeding the homeless, helping refugees and giving kids an opportunity to go to camp, should be able to access Canada Summer Jobs funding regardless of their private convictions (about abortion) and regardless of whether or not they choose to sign the application attestation.”

Pretty hard to disagree with that statement. But lo, most of the House of Commons did, in fact, disagree with it — by a vote of 207-93. All non-Conservative MPs voted against this sensible motion except for Christopherson, one Liberal MP from Newfoundland, Scott Simms, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and Bloc Quebecois MPs.

The increasingly dictatorial prime minister, Justin Trudeau, whipped the Liberal vote, forcing his MPs to go along with this divisive, coercive attestation. That wasn’t surprising — after all, the controversial attestation is his government’s work.

But why did federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh force all of his MPs to vote against the motion?

Applicants for the summer jobs grant must click an attestation that states in part: “Both the job and the organization’s core mandate respect individual human rights in Canada …. These include reproductive rights.”

Singh has been under considerable fire recently following the revelation that he has attended at least two meetings since 2015 with known Sikh separatists, including those who advocate violence to bring about a Sikh homeland in India.

Those events also glorified Sikh martyrs, including masterminds behind the Air India bombing originating in Vancouver that murdered 329 people — mostly Canadians — on June 23, 1985.

When asked on March 15 if violent struggle is acceptable to create a separate Sikh homeland in India, Singh said: “Given that it’s complex, it requires that thoughtfulness to proceed forward.”

It’s a troubling answer. He also vowed that he will continue to attend pro-Sikh separatist events to be a moderate voice and promote human rights.

So, this wannabe prime minister of Canada thinks it’s OK to speak at events that glorify Air India bombers to help bring context to issues in India, but he won’t allow his Canadian MPs to provide context to Trudeau’s wrongheaded attestation or to freely vote on a motion that would help Canadians exercise their conscience and expression rights?

It’s ironic and hits a whole new level of hypocrisy.

Christopherson has been pro-choice for years, and he says his vote had “nothing to do” with abortion rights.

Last week, Christopherson did the right thing. He didn’t follow the diktat of his mealy mouthed leader. He voted his conscience, and as a consequence, he was stripped of his post as deputy chair of the weighty procedure and house affairs committee. Good for him. But what of Singh? He was never punished for hobnobbing with people who celebrate murderers.

In his statement about attending those troubling proterrorist events, Singh wrote: “Self-determination means respecting the views of people in whatever country to choose their own path.”

Unless they’re Canadians whose views differ from his, apparently. The word hypocrite fits Singh snugly.