Thursday April 24, 2025 | WINNIPEG, MB [Reporting from VICTORIA, BC]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
With four days left on the campaign trail ahead of the 45th federal general election, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh held a media event with workers in Winnipeg to reinforce his message about supporting workers.
He was accompanied by NDP incumbent Leah Gazan who is seeking re-election in Winnipeg Centre.
After the election on April 28 it’s likely now that either the Liberals or the Conservatives will form government — as indicated by polls but of course not known for sure.
The NDP is not leaving things to chance. They want to return a strong NDP force to Parliament for what they believe to be the best fighting chance for working people. Most of their stronghold is in BC, where half their caucus held seats in Parliament prior to dissolution on March 23 (six of which are on Vancouver Island).
The NDP have also reinforced a central message of protecting the public health care system. They continue to stand strong on protecting treaty and Indigenous rights.
51st state:
In the last day or so, it was revealed in national media that Liberal Leader Mark Carney did in fact hear an indication about “the 51st state” in his phone conversation with US President Donald Trump in March.
Singh feels Carney “was not being straight up with Canadians” about what now is unfolding as an ongoing threat to our sovereignty — which Carney himself has articulated as Trump wanted to restructure the economic relationship between the US and Canada (and other countries around the world).
Why vote NDP on Monday:
Singh outlined his reasons for people voting NDP as primarily the NDP being the party that will focus on fighting for “the working class, middle class, and working people”.
He pointed out in Winnipeg today that three NDP MPs in Manitoba fought for things like Pharmacare and dental care and have “done far more than all the Conservatives in this province combined”.
“Working people and middle class people are worried,” said Singh. Without a strong NDP presence in the House of Commons, Singh feels that conditions for working people are “on the line”.
“The only ones who are going to hold the line are New Democrats.”
“New Democrats are the only ones who are going to defend what you care about,” he declared.
Housing & groceries:
“We’re the only party talking about a permanent ban on landlords buying up homes ad a price cap on food essentials.” He hears: “What about me and my concern”, saying: “New Democrats we’ve got your back.”
He’s seeing more people who are worried about what he calls “Mark Carney’s cuts”. Singh has brought up several times in recent weeks that Carney was chair of a company (Brookfield Asset Management) that “profited off the housing crisis”.
“Carney is not really progressive,” Singh outlined. Though Carney yesterday in his press conference in Victoria, did himself bring up the word progressive in his press conference in Victoria yesterday, referring to what the NDP call progressive policies.
Yesterday Carney said the Conservatives would cut dental care and Pharmacare, public health care and support for the environment as well as funding for the CBC.
Meanwhile, Singh claims: “Carney has a track record of making lots of money for billionaires,” said Singh, adding that Carney chaired a company that “is the biggest tax dodger in Canada”.
Caring about everybody:
In response to a question about whether Canada should revisit and seek revisions to the third safe country agreement with the United States, Singh said yes that needs to be done.
“The US is no longer safe for asylum seekers,” said Singh.
There has been “horrible treatment of human beings by the United States” in recent actions there under the Trump administration.”He’s making people fleeing horrible conditions and making the victims the scapegoats. We believe in looking out for our neighbours. We’ve got to look after everybody,” said Singh.
The last official visitor that Pope Francis received at the Vatican within a day of his death was US Vice President JD Vance who has taken a hand in deportation, something that Pope Francis had openly denounced.
Electric vehicles:
Recently Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he would scrap the 2035 target for all new vehicles in Canada to be zero-emission.
Singh hopes to see electric vehicles made in Canada, and that “incentives for that are a good idea” as there are fewer emissions and they are easier to afford. He is in favour of making it “easier and cheaper for people to get those vehicles”.
Former Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Victoria in 2022 to promote the 2035 electric vehicles target.
===== RELATED:
- Carney’s second visit to Victoria highlights south Vancouver Island Liberal candidates (April 23, 2025)
- Jagmeet Singh makes 3rd campaign visit to Victoria (April 20, 2025)
- NDP will defend health care in next parliament, says Singh (April 10, 2025)
- Electric vehicles necessary to hit climate targets (April 12, 2022)
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