Federal NDP leader looking to make inroads in northern Ontario
Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has his eyes on Sudbury, making a second campaign stop in northern Ontario in as many weeks.
Many consider both Sudbury and Nickel Belt to be toss-ups with many wondering if either of the ridings will go 'orange,' Sudbury in particular now which has no incumbent running.
"We're spending time here because we're going to win this riding," he smiled to the applause in the room. "We're going to have two new members that are going to represent Sudbury and Nickel Belt."
The NDP leader spoke people in the room about closing loopholes and cracking down big corporations avoiding what he sees as their fair share in taxes.
Singh was also asked about his hopes for northern Ontario while he was addressing the national media in Sudbury Sunday morning.
"Is it fair to say it's 'open season' for your party right now and that you have a very strong chance in these ridings or do you think that the Liberals could take them," asked the reporter.
"We think we have incredible candidates and we're very confident that people are going to vote for Andreane and Nadia but we also know that the people of the north have been, in this community particularly we know that people have been let down by the Liberals," said Singh.
"Laurentian University, very vital university in the north, was allowed to bankrupt and was allowed lose a lot of programs and that had a devastating impact on so many people, on young people, on Indigenous communities, on francophones and the only ones fighting for you who said we need to save this university were New Democrats," he added.
Singh says the provincial and the federal NDP were the only politicians who said more needs to be done to save the university.
Sudbury has had a long history of voting Liberal, since the riding was created, but it has previously sent two NDP members of parliament to Ottawa.
The British Columbia based politician was also asked how he counters the position of some voters that the city would lose its spot at the table if it were to vote for a party in the Opposition.
"I'd say to folks what has that seat at the table gotten you," he said. "One of the biggest crisis' that has hit Sudbury and Nickel Belt was losing Laurentian University and all those programs and the impact on young people and Indigenous people, on the staff, the team and the future for your kids. Where were your Liberal members of parliament? What did that seat at the table do?"
Singh says when they sent letters in April to save the university, Sudbury and northerners should be asking themselves did the city's Liberal representation do anything to save the school.
"I think people are better off when they have a strong and passionate voice of someone whose going to fight for you, stand up for you and raise the concerns. You will get more out of it. And in this pandemic we can say the Liberals were in power but they wanted to do the minimum and that would have hurt the people of Sudbury and the people of Nickel Belt," said Singh.
On the Indigenous file when it comes to voting for NDP representation, Singh told another local reporter that he believes his party will be able to best serve many of the First Nation communities in the region.
"Indigenous people, we want you to know that we don't accept the excused that Mr. Trudeau has said, 'oh it's too hard to to get clean drinking water,' I don't buy that," he said.
"If there was a clean drinking water problem in any major Canadian city, it would have been solved right away, I don't buy the excuses, I don't buy that other parties have wanted to make this a priority, I want you to know New Democrats care deeply and that we're going to fight with everything we have," said Singh.
Singh wrapped up his Sudbury visit with a stop to talk to people at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 76 in the city's Minnow Lake community.
After Sudbury, he's off to campaign in Thunder Bay and Sioux Lookout.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.