Jagmeet Singh 'seriously considering' federal NDP leadership bid

Jagmeet Singh's eclectic range of accomplishments include Sikh of the Year, jiu-jitsu champion and Toronto Lifemagazine's Best Dressed award.

Will he soon try adding leader of the federal NDP to his list?

Singh, 38,is a member of the Ontario Legislature, representing the Toronto suburb of Brampton. According to federal party activists, there's a groundswell of New Democrats urging him to jump into the race to replace Thomas Mulcair.

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"It's something I'm really considering quite seriously," Singh said Wednesday in an interview with CBC News.

Jagmeet Singh talks about why he's considering federal leadership

8 years ago

Duration 0:45

Jagmeet Singh talks about why he's considering federal leadership

Party activists first floated Singh as a possible candidate shortly after the NDPleadership review pushed Mulcairout last April. Since then, Singh's public comments have shifted from being "open to" the idea of running, to giving it "serious consideration."

"Initially I thought it was just a bit of a fluke," Singh said. "But now I'm at the point where I'm listening to what folks are saying, I'm looking at what it would look like to run a national campaign, really mulling the idea around and thinking about it in a serious way."

So what's holding him back? Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne's dismal poll numbers seemto be a factor.

"My dilemma is that provincially I think we have an extremely amazing opportunity as New Democrats to form a government," said Singh. "I reallysee a future for the party doingamazing things provincially and I'm excited by that, so that's part of the reason why I've been a bit hesitant."

Singh is a lawyer and speaks functional French (as well as Punjabi). His lack of a seat in Ottawa doesn't faze his supporters: they merely point out that a guy named JackLaytonwas a Toronto city councillorwhen he wonthe NDP leadership in 2003.

Party sourcessay there's a team of experienced campaign organizers ready to work forSingh, should he decideto run.

'Draft Jagmeet' page

Singhcame within a few hundred votes of becoming an MP in his first political campaign, contesting Bramalea-Gore-Maltonfor the federal NDP in the 2011 election.He won the provincial seat a few months later, helping the Ontario New Democrats grab the balance of power in a Liberalminority government. He has served as the critic for justice and consumer services, and party leader Andrea Horwathnamed him her deputyin 2015.

Singh says his religion and upbringing has informed a big part of his political perspective

8 years ago

Duration 1:05

Singh says his religion and upbringing has informed a big part of his political perspective

NDP member Liam Bedard helped start a"DraftJagmeet"Facebookpagebefore even meeting Singh, having learned of his work with anti-poverty groups.

"I discovered what a principled and articulate civil rights defender he's been," the Ottawa-based Bedardsaid in an interview Wednesday. "He's in a unique position to fight the rising tide of racism that is gripping western societies. He has the credibility to challenge rising income inequality."

He callsSingh a "living embodiment of Canadian multiculturalism" and admires him for his principles and values.

"The guy has both style and substance," Bedard said. "Destiny is knocking on his door."

In phone interviews with CBC News, several senior NDP officials spoke highly of Singh. They asked not to be identified by name because they don't want to be seen as endorsing a candidate.

"Jagmeetis a true progressive and represents a new generation of political activism in this country," said a senior NDP organizer. He praised Singh's sincerity and said he has "the ability to make people feel they're being listened to,and that what they're saying is important."

One longtime NDPbackroomersaid Singh has the "it factor"of politics."People in the party outside Ontario have been eyeing him covetously," said the official, who asked not to be named. "He's a smart guy and a hard worker."

"He is definitely generating a lot of interest," said another top NDP activist.

Singh's backers believe he has potentialto attract a new injection of members from communities that have not traditionally been NDP supporters, and could help make the party more competitive in the 905, the seat-rich suburbssurrounding Toronto.

In Canadian history, nomajor federal party has ever chosen a non-white leader.

Among the issues Singh has worked on at Queen's Park is the controversial police practice of carding stopping people on the street and demanding identification. Singh, who said he's been carded 10 times, pushed for a ban. The government outlawed arbitrary street checks last year.

He also advocated for limits on fees to transfer money overseasand for a religious exemption for Sikhs from motorcycle helmet laws.

Singh gets attention for his style, most recently a profile and photo shoot in GQ. dubbing him "the Incredibly Well-Dressed Rising Star in Canadian Politics." He drives a BMW sports car on his commute from Bramptonto Toronto and keeps a Dutch Gazelle bike in his office at the Legislature for getting around the downtown.