Singh faces 2nd leadership review as NDP policy convention enters final day
CBC/Radio-Canada 1 hour ago

  

© Justin Tang/The Canadian Press NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is set to face his second leadership review today as the NDP's virtual policy convention enters its third and final day.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will stare down his second leadership review later today when more than 2,000 convention delegates decide whether they should trigger a leadership race within the party.

The NDP is gearing up for the final day of its virtual policy convention, which has been beset by technical glitches, missing accessibility services at times, and has been slowed by a flurry of points of order and points of privilege from delegates.

On Saturday, delegates passed a controversial resolution calling for Canada to suspend arms sales with Israel and impose sanctions on Israeli settlements deemed illegal under international law.

"The measures are similar to what human rights organizations have called for, and I think there is good merit in what they are calling for," Singh said Sunday on Rosemary Barton Live.

"If we want to get peace, it's going to require some pressure, and I think that's important," he said, when pushed by CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton on whether he would adopt the resolution as a position of his party.

Other resolutions passed include a proposal to make long-term care part of Canada's health-care system and a pledge to support Indian farmers protesting that country's new agricultural laws.

On Sunday afternoon, Singh will deliver a speech to assembled delegates, which will be followed by a secret ballot vote to determine whether a leadership race should be called. If more than half of delegates vote in support of a race, an election must take place within a year.

Singh breezed through 2018 review

NDP deputy leader Alexandre Boulerice said Singh shouldn't be too worried ahead of today's review.

"The caucus is united. The feeling, the mood with the activists, the members, the volunteers, is quite good. There's no questioning of the leadership right now. We are ready to go with Jagmeet in an election any time."

In 2018, Singh coasted through his first review at the NDP's policy convention, with 90.7 per cent of delegates voting against holding a race.

Former leader Jack Layton obtained around or above 90 per cent during his reviews, similar to the outcome achieved during Tom Mulcair's first vote in 2013. Three years later with Mulcair still at the helm, more than half of party delegates voted in favour of a leadership election — an unprecedented result for a federal party leader.

While Boulerice feels assured of Singh's chances, he doesn't believe the leader — who handily won the party's top job in 2017 — should get too comfortable.

"His challenges are the challenges of a lot of federal leaders," Boulerice said.

"He needs to connect with areas of the country he knows a little bit less, maybe like the Maritimes ... to have good knowledge about the different realities."

Singh also needs to brush up on his French, Boulerice said. The MP holds the party's only seat in Quebec, a province where the NDP is hoping to make gains.

"He's generally good. But a couple of days without speaking French ... you can feel that."

Membership has strong opinions: Masse

Longtime Ontario MP Brian Masse said it's never good to assume someone will survive a leadership vote.

"If he's not [worried], then that's a problem. I don't think that it's something that he needs to dwell on ... but he has to be cognizant that we have a diverse membership that has strong opinions on a lot of different issues, and he's the person who represents the face of that at the end of the day."

Meanwhile, former NDP campaign manager Brad Lavigne said the NDP's overall performance throughout this minority, pandemic Parliament bodes well for Singh.

"He's led the caucus through a very difficult time in this country. He kept the focus on people and their needs with things like those relief programs," Lavigne said.

"The membership should be rewarding Mr. Singh with overwhelming support to continue on as leader."

Singh to address supporters before review

The NDP's push for pandemic supports is expected to factor heavily into the leader's speech on Sunday.

The leader is also expected to signal that the party is ready for a pandemic election should one be called.

The party cleared its multimillion-dollar campaign debt earlier this year and is prepared to spend up to $24 million for its next election run.

The NDP is currently facing criticism from some grassroots members for keeping 100 per cent of all Elections Canada campaign expense reimbursement, funds that usually go to candidates and benefit electoral district associations or ridings.