Singh walks back coalition talk as campaign enters final week
Credit to Author: Cheryl Chan| Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2019 23:33:24 +0000
Heading into the final week of the election campaign, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh campaigned at a popular Vancouver market on Thanksgiving Monday in a bid to capitalize on his new-found momentum, but deflected questions on a potential Liberal-NDP coalition a day after he opened the door to the possibility.
At a campaign stop in Surrey on Sunday, Singh said he would “absolutely” be wiling to work with other parties to prevent a minority Conservative government. On Monday, Singh appeared to retreat from that statement.
“That was not my position,” he said. “My position is this: We have a number of priorities and I want Canadians to know that they can vote New Democrat, vote as many New Democrats as possible, and all the commitments and priorities we told you about, we will fight hard to make sure they are put in place.”
Singh did not want to talk about a coalition government despite repeated questioning by reporters. He rebuffed a question on whether he would insist on NDP MPs in cabinet in a hypothetical coalition government, saying “I’m not negotiating the future today.”
Instead, Singh encouraged voters to push back against strategic voting that frames the election as a choice between the Liberal and Conservative parties. “I reject that analysis, ” he said. “You’re not stuck with two choices. You can go beyond that.”
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh enjoys a doughnuts from Lee’s doughnuts at the Granville Island public market during an election campaign visit in Vancouver on Oct. 14.
In a news release, the NDP also warned that the Conservative plan to cut infrastructure spending — stretching out $187 billion over 15 years instead of 12 years as promised by the Liberal government — would be deeply felt in Metro Vancouver.
While Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said his government will fund existing projects, TransLink’s Mayors’ Council has said the cuts risk uncommitted projects, such as the Broadway subway extension to UBC.
Singh has seen a boost in polls since his performance at the televised English-language leaders debate on Oct. 7. A recent Angus Reid poll showed his favourability has shot up from 39 per cent at the start of the campaign to 59 per cent, making him the most popular national political leader. In comparison, Scheer lost ground at 38 per cent, while Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau stayed steady at 35 per cent.
Singh’s popularity in the polls was reflected at Granville Island on Monday, where he cheered on runners participating in the annual Turkey Trot run. He was met with enthusiasm as he made his way down a boardwalk to the public market, taking selfies and exchanging handshakes and hugs with supporters and passersby.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh high-fives Mary Formby, with Ryan Jack and five-month-old Amelia of Burnaby, at Granville Island. Formby and Jack, who live in Singh’s riding of Burnaby South, told Singh they had voted NDP in advance voting on Sunday.
“Keep up the pace, a fast pace,” said a runner, who wished Singh good luck with the campaign.
Alessandra Williams and daughter Luzia, a Grade 6 student at Sir Wilfred Laurier Elementary in Vancouver, patiently waited to approach Singh for a selfie.
“We’re learning about the elections and the different political parties at school,” said Luzia, who was stoked about getting a photo with Singh. If she could vote, she said, she’d go with either the NDP or the Green Party because of their stance on the environment.
At the public market, Singh made stops at a fruit stand and cheese shop. He also stocked up on boxes of doughnuts he planned to bring to striking hotel workers at his next campaign stop outside the Westin Bayshore.
At a campaign stop in Winnipeg on Monday, Scheer warned against a potential coalition between the Liberals and the NDP, saying such a partnership would mean a higher carbon tax, less jobs, and a larger deficit.
Trudeau also dodged questions about a possible coalition at a stop in Windsor, Ont., saying he is focused on winning a majority. “My focus is on electing a progressive government and stopping Conservative cuts,” he said.
Green Leader Elizabeth May, who was in Ashcroft with family for Thanksgiving, has said her party won’t support any minority government that doesn’t meet her standards for combating climate change. She has denounced the Tory climate plan and maintains the Liberal plan doesn’t go far enough.
— with files from Canadian Press