Monday March 31, 2025 | VIEW ROYAL, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has spent most of this last day of March in the Greater Victoria area.
This morning he held a press conference in View Royal along with four south Vancouver Island candidates, two of whom are incumbents but two who are hoping to win their first campaigns at the federal level.
Alistair MacGregor is seeking re-election to his fourth term as the MP for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford and Laurel Collins is seeking re-election to her third term as the MP for Victoria.
Both Maja Tait and Colin Plant have election experience at the municipal level and are now hoping to be elected for the first time federally: Maja Tait in Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke (where Randall Garrison had been the NDP MP during 2011 to 2024) and Colin Plant in Saanich-Gulf Islands (where the Greens have held that riding since 2011).
Singh is in his third federal campaign as the NDP leader and handily guides the team at these press conferences. He has been the MP for Burnaby South and seeks re-election there.
Second campaign stop:
This was Singh’s second pit stop in the Greater Victoria area in this 45th Canadian federal election campaign; he visited the same location with most of the same candidates back on March 11 before the writ dropped.
Today’s announcement carried the additional weight of the national media asking questions of Singh.
CBC, CTV and other national press gallery media are travelling on the NDP campaign bus along with the candidates and organizational teams.
The NDP aims to hold onto their established voter base with reminders about all the accomplishments that NDP MPs have made for Canadians during the 44th Parliament, including the dental care plan for low-income Canadians and the beginnings of the Pharmacare plan.
New NDP promises:
As well, using the same pressure of being the ‘small but mighty’ team of MPs who would work with a minority government after the April 28 election, the NDP has already announced other intentions for achievement in the 45th parliament, including:
- Capping food prices on grocery basics
- Letting people keep more of their money before they start to pay income tax by adjusting the basic income tax threshold.
- Taking the GST off essential purchases – eliminate the 5% GST from grocery store meals, diapers and strollers, plus monthly bills including cell, internet and heating
- Taking the GST off of Canadian-made vehicles – to boost our auto sector, resulting in a savings of $3,000 to buy a Canadian-made car
- Doubling the Canada Disability Benefit – raising benefits by up to $2,400 a year.
- Increasing the Guaranteed Income Supplement – to help more low-income seniors
- Building rent-controlled homes on public land – to produce affordable homes more broadly across the country.
The NDP has committed to eliminating the consumer carbon tax Canadians pay but keeping a industrial carbon emissions tax.
What seems to work for the NDP — and for low-to-middle-income Canadians — is that even without forming government or even being the Official Opposition, the NDP can get thing done by effectively working the levers of the House of Commons to get things passed in combination with other parties.
NDP seats:
The NDP had 24 seats at dissolution, with 12 of those in BC (of which six are on Vancouver Island). They are hoping to hold onto their 24 seats and gain some more.
Election date:
The 45th Canadian General Election will be held on Monday April 28, 2025.
Advanced voting will be held April 18 to 21, including through the Easter long weekend.
===== RELATED:
- NDP proposes CMHC-issued homebuyer loans among suite of new economic directions (March 30, 2025)
- Jagmeet Singh launches NDP campaign in Ottawa (March 23, 2025)
- Carney announces that 45th federal election is underway (March 23, 2025)
- Liberal Leader Mark Carney to run in Ottawa-area riding (March 22, 2025)
- Fielding federal candidates in 343 ridings across the country (March 22, 2025)
- 45th federal election to be held on April 28 (March 22, 2025)
- Jagmeet Singh launches south Vancouver Island NDP campaign office (March 13, 2025)
- NEWS SECTIONS: CANADIAN FEDERAL ELECTION 2025 | CANADA-NATIONAL | CANADA-USA | COUNCIL OF THE FEDERATION