OTTAWA 鈥� Jagmeet Singh is no stranger to beating long odds 鈥� which is good, since taking over the Prime Minister鈥檚 Office this fall seems the聽unlikeliest of outcomes for the聽leader of the federal New聽Democrats.
The energetic former criminal lawyer, who cuts a striking silhouette in his tailored suit, long beard and colourful turban as he rides his collapsible bike around Parliament Hill, captured the country鈥檚 imagination in 2017 when he became the first non-white to lead a federal party in sa国际传媒 鈥� a historic achievement, sure, but one he quickly ascribes to those who came before him.
鈥淲e as a team were only able to dare to dream of this kind of idea, running to be prime minister, because other people broke barriers,鈥� the 40-year-old Singh said in a recent interview with the Canadian Press.
His hope, he said, is that young people will see a turbaned Sikh tearing down walls and be inspired to 鈥渄ream of overcoming some challenge or barrier.鈥�
The challenge Singh faces is substantial indeed.
Just four years removed from the heady pre-campaign days of 2015, when the NDP were within striking distance of forming their first-ever federal government, early polls showed Singh and company trailing Elizabeth May鈥檚 once-distant Greens, their status as sa国际传媒鈥檚 third party suddenly in jeopardy.
That looming undercard battle might be why Singh declared publicly last month that the NDP wouldn鈥檛 support the Conservatives in a minority Parliament 鈥� an eyebrow-raiser that was billed as a declaration of disdain for rival Andrew Scheer鈥檚 past statements on same-sex marriage, but interpreted by many as an early acknowledgment that the top job was beyond his grasp.
To hear him tell it, however, Singh is unconcerned by any Green threats.
They鈥檙e a 鈥渘on-factor鈥� in places like Brampton, Ont., he said 鈥� a key battleground where Singh is confident his deep connections to the community, forged during his past life as a member of the Ontario legislature, will hold the party in good stead.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e not a factor, but I am,鈥� Singh said. 鈥淚 am a massive factor. People see me as their champion. They鈥檝e seen that I聽fought for them and they see New Democrats as being on their side.鈥�
He also points to groundswells of NDP support in Toronto, Vancouver and in B.C鈥檚 Lower Mainland 鈥� all areas where the party鈥檚 election campaign is expected to spend the bulk of its effort.
Singh 鈥� like the party he leads 鈥� is no stranger to long odds, said Jennifer Howard, his campaign manager and chief of staff.
鈥淵ou have to have an understanding of what it takes to sometimes overcome the odds, and Jagmeet understands,鈥� Howard said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 also somebody who is more inspired to fight for other people than himself.鈥�
Singh鈥檚 own path to politics has not been without adversity and trauma. In his autobiography, Love & Courage, he described being sexually abused at the hands of a martial arts instructor at age 10聽while living in Windsor, Ont.
鈥淗e tied his perversion to my performance, which was my primary motivation,鈥� Singh writes. 鈥淎nd as the weekend sessions continued on top of my weekly training, I convinced myself that I was improving at taekwondo.鈥�
The book also documents the ripple effects of his father鈥檚 alcoholism on the family, and how Singh had to become the sole income-earner by working in retail 鈥� an experience that informs his political activism on pocketbook issues such as poverty and tuition fees.
鈥淚 got through those struggles because of a lot of help and my family depended on a lot of help,鈥� he said, pointing to time his father spent at a publicly funded rehabilitation centre and help received from strangers when his family had nowhere to live.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe that someone鈥檚 job status or income level should determine their ability to succeed and do well in life, and that鈥檚 why I really passionately believe in social programs and services.鈥�
In short, Singh is no stranger to being the underdog, said Howard. He likes to exceed expectations.
鈥淚 think he has, many times in his life, had to fight to get to where he is,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e knows how to do that."
