‘More New Democrats means you are better off,’ Singh pitches voters in B.C. amid campaign recalibration

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh cheers during a campaign stop in Burnaby, B.C. on Sunday, March 30, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)

Burnaby, B.C. — Starting the second week of the 2025 federal election campaign in familiar territory, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh served up a recalibrated message on Sunday in British Columbia. His new pitch to voters comes at a time when polling indicates the NDP is far from forming government.

Singh’s message was clear: elect enough New Democrats to ensure MPs in Ottawa are fighting for the little guy in the “very hard negotiations about the future of our country.”

“Who do you want in Ottawa fighting to make sure that people are not on that negotiating table… The things that make us who we are, are not on that table?” Singh said at a housing announcement in Port Moody, B.C. “You need to elect a New Democrat to do that.”

The NDP is working to adjust its approach after the first week of the campaign seemed to focus on concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump and his evolving tariffs. NDP sources say they hope to carve out space for Singh within this conversation.

Singh continued to highlight the NDP’s role in pushing forward key initiatives such as dental care, pharmacare, and other social supports, despite having only around 24 MPs during the last two minority Parliaments. He argued that these accomplishments would not have happened without the NDP’s votes.

“If you elect more New Democrats, we’re going to do great things for you. Elect enough of us, I would be honoured to serve as prime minister, and I’ll fight every single day to make sure people’s lives are better,” Singh said.

While campaigning around Metro Vancouver, Singh emphasized the NDP’s strength in the province, stating it’s the New Democrats, not the Liberals, who have a record of beating Conservatives.

“Again and again you’ll see New Democrats beat Conservatives. On Vancouver Island, it’s New Democrats that beat Conservatives. Here in the Lower Mainland, it’s New Democrats that beat Conservatives,” Singh said.

When asked about polling suggesting he could be in trouble in his newly redistributed riding of Burnaby Central, B.C., Singh didn’t directly address his personal electoral prospects.

Candidates, supporters say polls have been wrong before

Several incumbent NDP candidates CTV News spoke with on Sunday suggested the polls don’t match what they’re hearing on the ground.

“I’ve never had as many volunteers, never had as many sign placements… in this campaign, compared to every other one,” said Peter Julian, standing next to a nodding Singh at the morning announcement.

Julian, who has represented New Westminster-Burnaby, B.C., and its previous iterations since 2004, added: “The first time I ran, I was told I was way behind, in third place according to polls. We won that election, and we’ve won every subsequent election.”

“I don’t meet a lot of people at the doorstep who are supporting the other parties, quite frankly. They recognize the NDP’s contributions, and they want to see more NDP MPs in Parliament,” Julian said.

At the launch of the NDP’s B.C. satellite campaign office on Sunday afternoon, Vancouver Kingsway incumbent Don Davies echoed these sentiments.

“We’re starting maybe a little lower than we wanted to, but I think we’re going to get momentum. And I think a lot of people are going to be surprised on election day at how well the NDP does everywhere,” Davies said.

“Our first week of the campaign has been excellent. There’s not a single sign for the Liberals or Conservatives in Vancouver Kingsway. In fact, they just nominated their candidates a day or two ago. I don’t even think they have offices yet,” Davies said. “Campaigns matter.”

Mark Hancock, national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, also shared his optimism: “I feel it in the air, my friends. Sometimes you’ve got to just ignore the polling.”

Hancock compared the current situation to former NDP leader Jack Layton’s 2011 surge, noting, “It started in the next week or so,” and expressed confidence that “We’re going to do it here.”

Leaning on incumbents and a progressive record

During CTV’s Sunday Strategy Session on Question Period, Kathleen Monk, a former NDP strategist and Layton’s director of communications, said one of the party’s strengths is its strong incumbents.

Davies agreed, noting that the party’s strong presence on the West Coast has earned it a reputation for excellent representation.

“We’ve had a lot of NDP MPs for many years, and I think they’ve delivered excellent representation. So we have a reputation for being strong constituency MPs … we’re in our communities,” Davies said.

Monk’s advice for the NDP was to build a “permission structure” for progressive voters by highlighting policies they’ve helped secure, such as child care.

“It’s okay if you like Carney, but come over to us. Ensure that there’s a balance of power. Ensure that there’s a healthy number of New Democrats in the next Parliament,” she said.

At his afternoon event, Singh made his clearest pitch yet.

“Our elbows are up. We’re fighting back. We will never be the 51st state. We are proud of our country, strong and free. But what are we wrapping ourselves in when we wrap ourselves in the Canadian flag? What are the values we’re wrapping ourselves in?” Singh said.

He pointed to Canada’s universal public health care system as an example of what makes Canada unique, adding that the way to “fight back against Donald Trump” is by “doubling down on what makes us Canadian.”