NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is warning that his chief rivals in the election campaign will work for rich and powerful people and ignore the pressing needs of average Canadians.
Launching his campaign in Ottawa before heading to Montreal for a rally, Singh vowed to stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump and “fight like hell” for the best interests of all Canadians.
“Only New Democrats can be trusted to look out for you,” he said.
Singh said voters don’t need to choose between Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
He accused Carney of working to advance his personal wealth and serve the interests of billionaires, shareholders and CEOs.
“The folks without multi-million dollar portfolios, without blind trust or hedge funds, the people who earn their living by showing up to work, who dream of owning a home, raising a family, and retiring with a modest pension, they’re being abandoned,” he said.
Singh said Poilievre will also work for big corporations, and that will jeopardize health care and unravel environmental protections.
Public opinion polls in the lead up to the election place the NDP at a distant third behind the Liberals and Conservatives nationally, with their support declining as the Liberals built momentum.
In the face of unfavourable polling data, Singh said that he’s used to being the “underdog” and believes his message will resonate with people worried about losing their jobs due to tariffs.
“We’re not going anywhere. We’re here and we’re gonna fight for people every day,” Singh said.
With the burgeoning trade war with the U.S., Singh said that he will communicate every day of the campaign that an NDP government would be focused on supporting regular people through hard times.
“Do not let them convince you that in a time of crisis you must sacrifice while they profit. Because when the storm hits, they won’t feel it,” Singh said.
“They’ll have golden parachutes, private clinics and tax shelters. But for working and middle class families, the only way life gets better is by standing together and electing leaders who will fight for you and not the billionaires.”
Singh touted the NDP record of accomplishments by pushing for workers' rights, dental care and pharmacare -- key priorities the NDP advanced through the supply and confidence agreement with Justin Trudeau’s Liberals.
Singh tore up that agreement in September, but the NDP continued to support the Liberals on confidence votes.
Some party strategists said that this may have hurt trust with voters, but Joel Harden, Ottawa Centre NDP candidate, said that the accomplishments from the agreement outweigh any political liability.
“Should we have only opposed, done the angry, visceral debate in the House of Commons or should we not have seized the opportunity to get concrete things for people?” Harden said.
“I look at what happened, and the tangible benefits that have come out of it, and that speaks for itself.”
The NDP campaign slogan is “In it for you.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2025.
