By Canadian Press

Singh sets his sights on prairie Conservative-held seats hit hard by COVID-19

Sep 18, 2021 | 12:15 PM

SASKATOON — Jagmeet Singh criticized the COVID-19 pandemic responses of Saskatchewan and Alberta’s provincial governments as the federal NDP campaign focused on Conservative-held seats in the prairie provinces.

Singh says people across the prairies are being hit extra hard by the fourth wave of the pandemic because their governments have failed them.

“People should be angry at the conservative premiers,” Singh said Saturday. “They did a horrible job and it put people’s lives at risk.”

Singh aims to wrest prairie seats away from federal Conservatives, but also took aim at Justin Trudeau during a stop in Saskatoon, saying the Liberal leader abandoned the provinces in the fourth wave. 

Trudeau is to blame for calling an election and not finding solutions to the pandemic such as paid sick leave for workers, he said.

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“Mr. Trudeau chose a selfish election.”

Singh has kept his sights on the Liberals throughout the campaign, arguing the New Democrats are a viable alternative and discouraging people from strategic voting. Despite running a campaign that outwardly prides itself on positivity, the New Democrats have been very negative about Trudeau.

Singh said Canadians have to make a choice, and that means pointing out mistakes and bad decisions of other leadership. 

The New Democrats’ popularity level hasn’t moved much in the last week of the campaign, with the party lagging behind both the Liberals and Conservatives in opinion polls.

Singh did not answer repeated questions about whether he’d support the Liberals if Monday’s election results in a minority government led by Trudeau. He would also not say whether he believes the party that wins to most seats should get the first crack at government.

The NDP says Singh is ready to grow the party’s seat count to fight in the House of Commons for what Canadians need.

He planned to visit ridings in Regina and Edmonton before taking his campaign to British Columbia.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2021.

The Canadian Press