Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh in Burnaby on Wednesday. Photograph By KELVIN GAWLEY
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh finally confirmed today all the wild speculation that he plans to run for Parliament in the riding of Burnaby South.
Singh was surrounded by NDP faithful, including former Burnaby MP Svend Robinson, current BC NDP MLA Raj Chouhan, and MP Peter Julian, when he made the announcement - talking about all the "love and energy" in Burnaby.
Singh told the crowd the NDP would bring in universal Pharmacare - adding that the Liberals only want to study the issue.
If elected, he would replace fellow New Democrat Kennedy Stewart, who recently tendered his resignation as MP to run for mayor of Vancouver.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau must call a byelection to replace Stewart within six months of his official resignation date, Sept. 14, but he is not required to call a byelection. Trudeau could decide to leave the seat empty until the general federal election in October 2019.
Singh has never held a seat in federal politics. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2011 to 2017 before becoming replacing Tom Mulcair as the leader of the federal NDP.
Singh made clear his intentions in Burnaby official Wednesday in a press conference at the Canadian Motion Picture Park Studio lot in south Burnaby.
