Ottawa:
As Canada heads toward its 45th federal election on April 28, one man in a turban is fighting hard to make sure his voice – and the voices of working-class Canadians – aren’t drowned out in the Liberal-Conservative tug-of-war. That man is Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP).
He’s once again on the ballot, pushing bold promises, a progressive agenda, and the hope that Canadians are ready for more than just the usual political dance.
For years, Jagmeet Singh played the balancing act in the Parliament, propping up former Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s minority government while pushing through key wins like dental care and pandemic relief for low-income workers. In 2024, he pulled the plug. “The Liberals are too weak,” Singh said at the time, accusing Trudeau of bowing to corporate interests and failing ordinary Canadians.
Now, Jagmeet Singh is back on the campaign trail for the third time. The NDP, Canada’s traditional left-wing force, is polling at its lowest in years, squeezed between a re-energised Liberal party under new Prime Minister Mark Carney and a surging Conservative front led by Pierre Poilievre.
Who Is Jagmeet Singh Dhaliwal?
For a century and a half, Canada’s major political parties were led only by white politicians. That changed in 2017, when Jagmeet Singh became the first person of colour to lead a major federal party, winning the NDP leadership on the first ballot.
Early Life And Education
Jagmeet Singh Dhaliwal was born in Scarborough, Ontario, the eldest of three children to Indian immigrants Harmeet Kaur and Jagtaran Singh. His father, a doctor and psychiatrist, moved the family to St John’s, Newfoundland, for schooling before they eventually settled in Windsor, Ontario.
Singh grew up across three cities – Scarborough, St John’s and Windsor. His childhood, though financially comfortable, was marked by challenges. In his memoir ‘Love & Courage’, Singh revealed difficult experiences, including living with an alcoholic father, facing racism and bullying and being sexually abused by a taekwondo instructor as a young boy.
A practising Sikh, he graduated from Western University and later earned a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School.
Legal Career
He went on to work as a criminal defence lawyer in Brampton, Greater Toronto Area. He first worked at the law firm Pinkofskys. He later co-founded Singh Law with his brother Gurratan Singh.
His legal work, focused on Charter rights, sparked his interest in politics.
Jagmeet Singh also offered pro bono support to activists protesting the visit of Indian politician Kamal Nath, over his alleged links to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. When their concerns went unheard, Singh decided to run for office to give them a voice.
Political Career
In 2011, Jagmeet Singh entered politics and was elected as a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in Ontario, where he served until 2017. He was the first turbaned Sikh to hold such a position in the province.
His presence and progressive politics quickly gained attention. In 2012, the World Sikh Organisation of Canada honoured him for breaking barriers. That same year, the Toronto Star named him one of the city’s top personalities to watch. GQ later praised him, saying, “Jagmeet Singh looks the way you hope a progressive politician would.”
In 2015, Singh was appointed Deputy Leader of the Ontario NDP.
On October 1, 2017, he made history by becoming the first person from an ethnic minority to lead a major federal party in Canada, winning the leadership of the New Democratic Party (NDP). He did not hold a seat in the House of Commons.
In 2019, he won a federal by-election for the Burnaby South constituency in British Columbia. In his first federal election as party leader, the NDP secured 24 seats, a drop from the 44 seats won in 2015 under Thomas Mulcair.
While Singh lost the 2019 race for prime minister, he remains the leader of the New Democratic Party and a powerful voice in Canadian politics. Some news publications even called him “Justin Trudeau’s Worst Nightmare.”
In the 2021 Canadian federal election, Jagmeet Singh once again ran as the leader of the NDP. While the party slightly increased its share of the popular vote and won one more seat than in 2019 – going from 24 to 25 seats – Singh was unable to lead the NDP to a major breakthrough. He lost the race for prime minister again.
Jagmeet Singh Against Justin Trudeau
In March 2022, the NDP used its seat strength to secure a supply-and-confidence deal with the Liberal minority government, allowing the Liberals to stay in power until 2025 in exchange for action on NDP priorities like dental care.
In September 2024, Singh tore up the deal, withdrawing support from the Liberals. “Justin Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down. They don’t deserve another chance from Canadians,” he said.
Following this withdrawal, Singh pledged to introduce a no-confidence motion aimed at bringing down the government. He said that the NDP would vote to topple Trudeau and proposed the confidence vote.
The no-confidence motion, scheduled for debate when Parliament reconvened in late January 2025, was supported by all three major opposition parties – the NDP, the Conservative Party led by Pierre Poilievre, and the Bloc Quebecois. This united front significantly diminished Trudeau’s chances of surviving the vote.
Justin Trudeau announced his resignation as Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party on January 6.
Controversies
In 2014, Jagmeet Singh opposed the “Fighting Fraud and Reducing Automobile Rates Act,” saying it took away drivers’ rights to sue insurance companies.
In 2015, Singh was active on multiple fronts in Ontario politics. He raised concerns about the new sex education plan, calling it too mature for children and disrespectful to parents.
In October, he successfully pushed a motion in the Ontario legislature to end random police street checks, known as carding. Singh also proposed a law allowing turban-wearing Sikhs to ride motorcycles without helmets, but it was rejected.
That year, he demanded answers in the Ornge Air Ambulance scandal, where the CEO was paid $1.4 million despite poor emergency services.
In June, Ontario’s integrity commissioner warned Singh for using his Brampton office for partisan activities. While he wasn’t fined, his staff was asked to undergo ethics training.
In 2016, he opposed a motion that wanted to condemn the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.
Personal Life
Jagmeet Singh married Gurkiran Kaur Sidhu in February 2018. Gurkiran is an entrepreneur and humanitarian, and she played a supportive role in his rise as the Leader of Canada’s NDP. They have two daughters, Anhad and Dani.
