As the pivotal federal election in Canada nears, focus is back on the leader of the country's left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP), Jagmeet Singh, who is looking to be the kingmaker in the country's next government. Singh, the first ethnic minority politician to lead a major federal party in Canada, was the last of the country's three Opposition parties to turn on former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal minority government last September, before accusing him of "caving" to corporate greed.
With US President Donald Trump and his consistent threats to Ottawa's autonomy, oil pipelines, the affordable housing crisis, and the high cost of living dominating the election debate, Jagmeet Singh's NDP released a platform promising to add $48 billion to the deficit over four years by introducing new revenue streams like a sweeping wealth tax and corporate surtaxes aimed at rich and profitable firms.
The proposed agenda has a clear message--Canada must reinforce its economic and social foundations amid the uncertainty in the global order sparked by the re-emergence of Donald Trump and a shifting diplomatic landscape.
About Jagmeet Singh
A lawyer, human rights activist, and the current Leader of Canada's NDP, Jagmeet Singh, was born on January 2, 1979, in Scarborough, Ontario, a city in the Greater Toronto Area, to Indian immigrants from the state of Punjab. A practising Sikh leader was reportedly bullied in school and faced racism, and his bitter experiences fuelled his need for justice and fairness. He is married to fashion designer Gurkiran Kaur Sidhu, with whom he has two children.
In his memoir, Singh revealed he was sexually abused while growing up in Windsor. As a child, he also spent time in St Johns, and attended school across the border in Michigan for several years. He learned French at the age of 13, after recognising the Quebecois' struggles in preserving their language and identity. Singh graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Western University and later did a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School to support organisations fighting poverty and promoting equal justice.
Before entering politics, he worked as a criminal defence lawyer in the Greater Toronto Area, helping marginalised communities and fighting for their rights. In 2011, he was elected the Ontario MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament).
Singh won his first seat in Canada's parliament in 2019, in a by-election in Burnaby, British Columbia, east of Vancouver. His party agreed to prop up Trudeau's minority Liberal government in 2022 in exchange for support on their shared political priorities, particularly the development of a national dental care programme for low-income Canadians and a national prescription drug programme.
He continued supporting the government till last September and was the last of Canada's three main opposition parties to turn on Trudeau.
Singh also made headlines for confronting hecklers. In a viral clip, he was seen approaching a man who was heckling him with insults on Parliament Hill, asking him to "say it to my face".
About NDP
The 46-year-old Singh took the helm of the NDP in 2017 despite having no previous experience in federal politics. During his leadership, the NDP has supported progressive policies such as universal pharmacare, affordable housing, and climate action. Singh has also been a strong advocate for combating systemic racism and reducing economic inequality.
The NDP and its leader face tough competition in Canada's 2025 election, which is scheduled to be held on 28 April. Launching his party's campaign, Singh attacked both Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump, promising that only the New Democrats could be trusted to look out for ordinary Canadians.
His party released a platform promising to add $48 billion to the deficit over four years by introducing new revenue streams like a sweeping wealth tax and corporate surtaxes aimed at rich and profitable firms. The proposed agenda has a clear message--Canada must reinforce its economic and social foundations amid the uncertainty in the global order sparked by the re-emergence of Donald Trump and a shifting diplomatic landscape.
NDP also ran pledges to forgive student loan debt, drastically reduce Canada's carbon emissions and ensure universal prescription drug coverage.
Jameet Singh's Khalistani Connection
India denied a visa to Jagmeet Singh in 2013, two years after his entry into Canadian politics. Singh wanted the visa to visit Amritsar, the city that is home to the Golden Temple, one of the holiest places for Sikhs. At the time, The Globe and Mail reported that Singh was denied a visa over his remarks about the Sikh riots of 1984.
He was reportedly accused by the then Indian government for an "insidious agenda of disturbing the social fabric of India and undermining the peace, harmony and territorial integrity of India".
The NDP leader spent most of his early political life lobbying the Ontario government to recognise the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India as an act of genocide. In 2015, he attended a rally in San Francisco where pro-Khalistan slogans were raised. The rally stage featured a large poster of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was regarded by the Indian government as a terrorist, according to a report by CBC.
During his speech at the event, Singh accused India of genocide for attacks on Sikhs after the Golden Temple incident.
In 2016, Singh attended a pro-sovereignty seminar with the co-founder of the British-based National Sikh Youth Federation, Shamsher Singh, who endorsed the use of political violence as a "legitimate form of resistance" to achieve a "separate land for Sikhs".
In 2017, the NDP leader rallied behind a motion to acknowledge the 1984 Sikh riots in India as a "genocide". He even criticised the Indian government for human rights violations after Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated in 2019.
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