Politics

Canada’s NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh Has Destroyed Jack Layton’s Legacy

Published

8 months ago

2024-05-06

Canada's NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh Has Destroyed Jack Layton's Legacy

Former NDP leader Jack Layton, who had a genuine relationship with a broad cross-section of Canadians, led his party to its largest electoral victory ever in 2011, securing official opposition status. Since then, things have largely gone south.

Looking at today’s New Democrats, Layton’s broad appeal based on sincerity, friendliness, and a pleasant demeanor has been replaced with a more narrow one centered on divisive identity politics.

Jagmeet Singh, who took over the party’s leadership following Tom Mulcair’s ouster at the 2016 national convention, has unfortunately led the NDP down an ideological and electoral dead end.

According to Ryan Painter, a former NDP executive, under Singh’s leadership, the NDP has been all but annihilated in Quebec, losing 15 of its 16 seats, and even in the prairies, the party’s origin.

Under Singh, the NDP has become almost exclusively an urban party, the result of a leader who prioritizes the interests of individuals on university campuses and in white-collar government offices.

While balancing identity politics and the effort to advance progress for all Canadians has always been a challenge within the NDP, Layton understood how to appeal to activists without allowing them to co-opt the party, avoiding the virulently toxic wedge politics that the NDP now embraces.

Layton Fought for the Middle Class

Painter stated that Jack Layton recognized that realistic ideas may benefit middle-class Canadians. Whether it was his push to revitalize the automotive sector by investing billions of dollars in environmentally friendly cars and trucks made in Canada, or his commitment to working with the provinces to strengthen and eventually double the pension system.

Layton saw his job as fighting to build and strengthen the middle class. Not so for Singh, who showed no enthusiasm for a stronger middle class.

Instead, Jagmeet Singh focuses his attention on populist attacks on the “ultra-rich” and large corporations such as grocery chains, frequently targeting Loblaws and its CEO, Galen Weston.

It is important to note that Singh’s brother, Gurratan Singh, former Ontario NDP MPP, works for a firm that lobbies for Loblaws competitor Metro. Painter points out.

Millennials and younger voters are clearly anxious for at least one Canadian leader to acknowledge their growing sense of pessimism. However, Singh’s words of support and understanding concerning cost ring hollow coming from someone who enjoys pricey clothes, Rolex watches, and Versace bags.

A recent Abacus Data poll found that people aged 30-44—the elder millennial cohort, which generally favors the NDP—have all but abandoned the party.

Instead, they largely back Pierre Poilieve and the Conservatives. Why? Simple: Singh is providing nothing tangible for millennial and working-class voters to latch upon.

According to Painter, Singh has squandered Layton’s goodwill and transformed the NDP from the nation’s so-called conscience to the epitome of irrelevance.

Jagmeet Singh is Canada’s most expensive NDP MP

Meanwhile, according to the National Post, Jagmeet Singh has spent more than $500,000 on running his constituency office during the first nine months of 2024.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is now the highest-spending individual member of Parliament in the House of Commons, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre ranking lowest.

The most recent MP spending numbers were issued in late March, and they show that Singh spent $533,533 in his position as MP for Burnaby South for the first three quarters of the previous fiscal year (April 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023).

During the same time period, Poilievre claimed $143,201 in costs relating to his work as MP for the Carleton riding, which was nearly one-fourth of Singh’s total.

Poilievre was also one of just a few MPs whose constituency costs did not include any funds for “travel” or “hospitality.”

To be true, Poilievre and Singh have significantly larger annual expenses as party leaders. However, in terms of expenses incurred as individual members of Parliament, Singh charged the most while Poilievre charged the least.

Singh’s seat is 4,000 kilometers west of Parliament Hill, but Poilievre represents an Ottawa suburb, thus it stands to reason that their travel expenses would be vastly different.

Singh’s outrageous expenses

Singh, while being born in Scarborough, Ont., and having previously represented Toronto-area ridings as a member of Ontario’s provincial parliament, chose to run in Burnaby South in the 2019 election and has represented the city near Vancouver since.

In 2023, Singh routinely rated among the top ten MPs in terms of travel expenses.

Between July 1 and September 30, his travel expenses of $65,836.58 were nearly identical to those of Lori Idlout ($66,181.59), a perennial high-spender in parliamentary travel due to the fact that she represents Nunavut.

Singh’s charges for paying salaries to employees working in his offices are roughly twice those of Poilievre. Singh’s salary costs were $63,790.64 in the most recent quarter, compared to Poilievre’s expense of $33,808.68.

In the second quarter (July 1 to September 30), the spread nearly tripled: $94,051.82 to $33,751.19.

Singh would also quadruple Poilievre’s constituency budget for “contracts,” which include incidental office expenses such as rent, advertising, and janitorial services.

Over three months, the NDP leader earned $45,535.99 to Poilievre’s $15,510.25. Poilievre’s whole budget for that period was nearly identical to Singh’s spending on the $4,500/month lease for his Kingsway constituency office.

Poilievre’s advantage over Singh

Of course, it’s a very different scenario when it comes to the expenses that Poilievre and Singh incur as party leaders. Those expenses are counted separately in their capacity as “presiding officers” of the House of Commons.

Approximately two dozen MPs, including the prime minister, speaker, and party whips, are paid budgets in addition to their MP expenses.

In these data, Poilievre has a significant advantage over Singh.

Poilievre’s expenses as “Leader of the Official Opposition” cost taxpayers around $1.1 million in the last three months of 2023, with an additional $35,463 going to the upkeep of Stornoway, Poilievre’s official residence.

The prime minister, the official opposition leader, and the Speaker of the House of Commons all have official residences.

During the same year, Singh’s costs as leader of the “Other Opposition Party” totaled only $330,994.71.

Despite the fact that Poilievre represents a caucus of 118 to Singh’s 24, the Conservative leader’s per-member cost to taxpayers remains lower.
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In terms of prime ministerial expenses, while Justin Trudeau is well-known for his exorbitant travel costs, the most recent numbers show that his Montreal constituency office is also one of the most cost-effective in the country.

In one quarter, Trudeau’s Papineau riding was one of the few offices, along from Carleton, that had no travel or hospitality expenses.

By Geoff Thomas

Politics

Trudeau Accused of “Phony Feminism” After Freeland’s Departure

Published

2 days ago

2024-12-19

Geoff Brown

Freeland's resignation letter didn't mention gender, but Trudeau accused of phoney feminism anyway

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing a backlash for claiming to be a feminist after firing Chrystia Freeland as Finance Minister and replacing her with Dominic Leblanc on Tuesday.

Justin Trudeau has positioned himself as a feminist leader, a central element of his political identity. In 2015, Canada made history by appointing its first gender-equal cabinet, a significant step in the ongoing effort to champion women’s rights policies.

Trudeau aimed to solidify his reputation as a pioneer in the fight for gender equality. Recent accusations of “phoney feminism” have sparked a heated debate regarding the consistency between his statements and his actions.

Chrystia Freeland’s resignation from the cabinet has sparked criticism directed at Prime Minister Trudeau, raising questions about his approach to women in leadership roles.

Chrystia Freeland, previously regarded as one of Prime Minister Trudeau’s closest allies, has officially resigned from her position as Finance Minister. In her resignation letter, she notably omitted any reference to gender issues.

Freeland’s departure mirrors Trudeau’s removal of several high-profile women;

Jody Wilson-Raybould, former Attorney General, was removed in 2019 after the SNC-Lavalin controversy.
Jane Philpott, then President of the Treasury Board, was also ousted following her support for Wilson-Raybould.
Celina Caesar-Chavannes, a Liberal MP, left politics after claiming Trudeau didn’t handle internal disagreements well.

These firings have fuelled debates about his handling of women in leadership positions and made a mockery of his claims of being a feminist.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized Trudeau for the optics of replacing Freeland with a male cabinet member, calling it evidence of Trudeau’s “fake feminism.”

“Just blame Chrystia Freeland and make her wear it all. Some feminist,” Poilievre said at a news conference on Tuesday.

The same week as Trudeau was insulting Americans for not electing a woman president, he was busy throwing his own woman deputy prime minister under the bus to replace her with a man, Poilievre commented.

Prominent Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner asked how any woman in that caucus could “defend that man instead of calling for an election now,” while Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Trudeau needed to start proving himself if he was going to keep declaring himself “to be such a supporter of women.”

MP Melissa Lantsman referred to an “old boys’ club” being in charge.

“It’s time for credible leadership in the seriousness of this moment, not the fake feminism of this phoney prime minister,” said Lantsman, who represents the Conservatives in the Thornhill riding.

Former Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes said she believes there is a pattern of female cabinet ministers who were “thrown under the bus” after “challenging someone whose name is Trudeau.”

Trudeau Defended

However, while Freeland’s resignation has sparked accusations of sexism, political experts suggest that focusing solely on gender may oversimplify the issue.

Freeland, an accomplished politician and the country’s first female Finance Minister left primarily due to policy disagreements. Her decision was less about being a powerful woman and more about divergent views on leadership and economic strategy.

Political scientist Dr. Melanee Thomas remarked that qualified women in politics often face frustrations when their expertise is dismissed.

She cautioned against reducing complex political dynamics to gender alone. By framing Freeland’s resignation solely as evidence of sexism, the broader challenges faced by all leaders in Trudeau’s cabinets—men and women alike—are overlooked.

Trudeau has remained relatively quiet, stating that Freeland’s departure was not an “easy day” for him.

Unlike previous controversies, he has not publicly defended his feminist credentials since Freeland’s resignation, leaving a vacuum for critics to dominate the narrative.

Over the years, Trudeau has said that “adding women changes politics,” presenting himself as an ally for feminist causes. His silence now begs the question: does he believe his track record speaks for itself, or is he struggling to respond to the growing skepticism?

Politics

Liberal MPs Call on Trudeau to Resign

Published

3 days ago

2024-12-18

Geoff Brown

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may actually planning to resign.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing extreme political pressure, with Liberal MPs publicly urging him to step down for the sake of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Yesterday, Trudeau faced a triple setback: the resignations of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Housing Minister Sean Fraser and a crushing byelection loss in British Columbia.

Trudeau is facing an uphill battle to maintain his grip on leadership as dissatisfaction among Liberal MPs is mounting. The recent events have added fuel to the fire.

Freeland, formerly one of Trudeau’s most prominent cabinet members, resigned in protest after allegedly being informed she’d be shuffled out of her role as finance minister. Many MPs believe this was poorly handled and symbolic of deeper issues within Trudeau’s leadership.

Adding insult to injury, the Liberals lost a B.C. byelection by 50 percentage points to the Conservatives—a seat they had held in the last general election. This loss has amplified concerns that Trudeau can no longer resonate with voters.

For the Good of the Party

Some Liberal MPs said Tuesday that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cannot continue as party leader and needs to resign for the party’s good.

Liberal MPs like Wayne Long and Ken Hardie are now outspoken critics, claiming that Trudeau’s leadership is a huge liability for the party. Long described the Prime Minister as “living in a false reality,” warning that staying the course could lead the Liberals to electoral disaster.

Ontario MP Francis Drouin, a longstanding defender of Trudeau, has joined the chorus of dissent. He doubted the party’s ability to move forward under Trudeau, saying, “I’ve been a great defender, but I just don’t see how we recover.”

Other MPs, including Alexandra Mendès and Sean Casey, have echoed similar sentiments. Mendès stated she was deeply affected by Freeland’s treatment, while Casey suggested that Trudeau no longer enjoys the confidence of the caucus.

The Liberal caucus appears more divided than ever, with roughly a third of MPs reportedly favouring Trudeau’s immediate resignation. According to Long, between 40 and 50 MPs actively push for his resignation, while around 50 remain loyal to him. The rest are seemingly undecided or staying silent.

Trudeau’s Unwillingness to relinquish power

This lack of unity is becoming a significant issue. MP Chad Collins admitted, “I can say we’re united.” He suggested a secret ballot within the caucus would reveal overwhelming opposition to Trudeau’s continued leadership.

At a Liberal caucus meeting today, Trudeau acknowledged the growing discontent; however, he hasn’t shown any signs of stepping down. He assured MPs he understood their concerns, but many doubted his willingness to relinquish power.

The Liberals are at a crossroads. Liberal MPs worry they could lose the next general election if Trudeau remains in office, with polls showing Trudeau’s public support hovering around 20 percent.
MPs have called for a change before it’s too late, calling Trudeau’s leadership a “drag” on the party’s prospects.

The internal division might deepen if Trudeau doesn’t resign. According to some political analysts, more backbenchers will switch sides against Trudeau, especially if they are left out of the next cabinet move.

One thing is certain: the Liberal Party must decide soon. The longer the ambiguity persists, the more difficult it will be to regain voters’ confidence. For now, Canadians are left wondering whether Trudeau’s tenure as prime minister is ending—or if he will beat the odds once more.

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Politics

Justin Trudeau’s Fight for Gender Equity in Canada

Published

4 days ago

2024-12-17

Geoff Brown

Justin Trudeau made news in 2015 by introducing Canada’s first gender-balanced cabinet, a decision that established the tone for the government’s commitment to gender equity and representation.

Since his election in 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has prioritized gender parity. From cabinet makeup to legislative efforts, the government has taken significant steps to reduce disparities and promote inclusion in Canada.

By assuring equal representation in top positions, the Trudeau government sends a strong message: varied perspectives improve governance.

While symbolic steps such as a balanced cabinet are vital, some believe that more than representation alone needs to address underlying issues. The Trudeau government has supported representation through measures to overcome these hurdles, leading us to the following issue.

Gender Equity in Pay

In 2021, Canada passed the Pay Equity Act, which requires federal workplaces to provide equal pay for equal work. This was a significant step towards narrowing the salary disparity between men and women.

The rule applies to firms with ten or more employees in federally regulated industries, promoting openness and fair compensation.

The government also developed the National Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence, prioritizing prevention, social services, and judicial reforms. Shelters, crisis centres, and advocacy groups have received extra funding to ensure survivors can access support.

Affordable childcare is crucial for allowing women to participate in the workforce. The Liberal government implemented a $10-per-day childcare program to alleviate the financial burden on families. This approach benefits parents, particularly mothers, who bear the burden of caring tasks.

One of the Trudeau administration’s most prominent innovations is using a “gender-based analysis plus” (GBA+) methodology for federal budgeting. This guarantees that government spending decisions consider the effects on different genders and other intersecting characteristics such as race, handicap, and income level.

Sexual and reproductive health projects

For example, the 2024 Autumn Economic Statement included continuous spending to protect women’s reproductive health and eliminate disparities in healthcare access. This approach prioritizes equity in resource allocation, recognizing that blanket policies frequently fail to adequately serve marginalized people.

In September 2024, Trudeau announced over $200 million in funding for worldwide sexual and reproductive health projects. These initiatives prioritize education, contraceptive access, and maternity healthcare.

Domestically, the government has boosted funding for abortion services, especially in impoverished areas. These initiatives demonstrate a commitment to empowering women and giving them authority over their healthcare decisions.

Despite these attempts, women in Canada continue to encounter challenges in the workplace. The gender pay gap is severe, particularly among racialized and Indigenous women. Critics believe that while regulations like the Pay Equity Act are a fine place to start, enforcement and oversight must improve.

Some campaigners have argued that the government’s approach to gender equity fails to address the unique issues that non-binary people confront, as well as those who face numerous types of discrimination. For example, racialized women and women with disabilities frequently suffer compounded injustices that broad measures can not fully address.

Advocating for Gender Equity

Efforts to promote gender equality have also encountered opposition. Some accuse the administration of focusing too much on identity politics, claiming that these programs take attention away from more serious issues.

However, supporters argue that equity is essential for a successful society and economy.

The Trudeau government continues to advocate for gender equality on several fronts. There is reason to be optimistic about future policy reforms and increased investments in healthcare and education.

Simultaneously, persistent advocacy will be required to guarantee that progress accomplished thus far does not stall.

Gender fairness isn’t just a moral obligation; it’s also a sound policy. The Trudeau government has worked to make Canada more equitable and inclusive by removing barriers and providing new possibilities.

While problems persist, the foundation has been created for future improvement. The challenge is how to capitalize on this momentum to achieve long-term change. Gender equity is a never-ending goal through policy, representation, or public dialogue.

It’s a difficult but important trip, and everyone’s opinion counts.