The NDP party is experiencing a decrease in representation... and its leader is facing the consequences
In a somber turn of events, Jagmeet Singh, the flaming torchbearer of the New Democratic Party (NDP), tendered his resignation amidst a crushing defeat. Not only did he fail to secure a seat in his Burnaby Central riding, British Columbia, but his party was braced for a dismal presence in Ottawa, with potential fewer than ten MPs, making it a real threat to lose its official party status.
In front of his tearful supporters, Jagmeet gave voice to the collective disappointment, declaring, "It's true we sometimes taste defeat, and it stings." He generously acknowledged the relentless support from his family members and party activists. He proclaimed proudly that the NDP had been the architects of Canada's finest moments, and he remained convinced that the party would persist against all odds.
In Quebec, Alexandre Boulerice, their solitary MP in the province, battled the waves of election and won a fifth term, representing Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie. He chose to remain quiet when asked to comment on Singh's resignation, simply wishing the man a quiet night. Before his supporters cheered him on at Le Clébard, in the Plateau Mont-Royal, Boulerice branded the NDP as a social movement, vowing to combat the right and the far-right, standing up against the likes of Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
The election was not kind to the NDP, a fact acknowledged by Boulerice even before polls closed. In the 2021 elections, the NDP had managed to elect 25 MPs. The context and the opposition parties had not been given fertile ground to thrive.
In Laurier-Sainte-Marie, Nimâ Machouf called it quits for the third time against Liberal incumbent, Minister Steven Guilbeault. She admitted to feeling "extremely disappointed" with the party's results across the country and expressed her belief that "fear ultimately won."
Julie Girard-Lemay, our defeated candidate in Hochelaga-Rosemont-Est, felt a strong headwind throughout her campaign and attributed it to Donald Trump's economic measures.
In Berthier-Maskinongé, Ruth Ellen Brosseau, a veteran NDP MP who took the saddle in the 2011 Orange Wave, failed to dethrone the incumbent Bloc Québécois MP Yves Perron.
If the NDP were to lose its official party status, each remaining MP would become "technically" independent, according to Alexandre Boulerice, who shared his insight with La Presse. This would mean the evaporation of funds allotted for the parliamentary leader's office, the whip's office, and the leader's office. Despite the diminished prospects, Boulerice vowed to continue delivering on his mandate, no matter the number of NDP members in Ottawa.
Jagmeet Singh, before his rise to the helm of the NDP, was a beacon of change as a lawyer, a practicing Sikh, and a provincial MP in Ontario. He made history by being the first to wear a turban in the Ontario Legislative Assembly. After taking charge in October 2017, he steered the NDP through thick and thin, even signing a cooperation deal with Justin Trudeau's Liberal government in March 2022, only to rescind it in September 2024, lamenting the Prime Minister's shortcomings. Now he stands at the precipice, ready to embrace the uncertainty that lies ahead for both the NDP and himself.
- Alexandre Boulerice, the sole NDP MP in Quebec, remained silent on Jagmeet Singh's resignation, instead focusing on his re-election in Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie.
- Despite winning a fifth term, Boulerice acknowledged the overall crushing defeat faced by the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the recent elections.
- In an interview with La Presse, Boulerice hinted that if the NDP were to lose its official party status, each remaining MP would become technically independent, leading to a loss of funding for leader's and whip's offices.
- Prior to his leadership, Jagmeet Singh, a practicing Sikh and former Ontario provincial MP, made history by becoming the first to wear a turban in the Ontario Legislative Assembly.
