Jagmeet Singh, who wears his kirpan openly and the first turban-wearing Sikh to sit in Ontario’s legislature, will now lead a Canadian federal political party with his victory in the NDP leadership race on Sunday.
Jagmeet, 38, won on the first ballot Sunday, taking 53 per cent of the vote to top MPs Charlie Angus, Niki Ashton and Guy Caron, reports CBC.
In a Facebook entry today (2 Oct 2017), he said, in both English and French:
“Thank you, New Democrats. The run for Prime Minister begins now ?? #loveandcourage
Merci à tou.te.s les membres du NPD. La campagne pour devenir premier ministre commence maintenant ?? #coeuretcourage”
The 38-year old bachelor ran on the platform of ‘Love and Courage’.
Jagmeet has represented the riding of Bramalea-Gore-Malton at Queen’s Park since 2011. The unmarried MPP served as the Ontario NDP party’s critic for justice and consumer services before party leader Andrea Horwath named him her deputy in 2015, reports CBC.
A criminal defence lawyer who speaks fluent French and Punjabi, Singh was born in Scarborough, Ont., in 1979.
Singh was raised in Newfoundland and Labrador while his father, who trained as a psychiatrist in India, attended medical school there and worked as a security guard before he could practise in Canada.
His family moved to Windsor, Ont., when he was seven years old.
Singh says he was bullied as a youngster and took up martial arts to defend himself, going on to captain his high school wrestling team and winning the Toronto championships in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
He got a law degree from Osgoode Hall in Toronto and practised as a criminal defence lawyer. His brother, Gurratan Singh, now runs their firm.
Singh’s passion for fashion caught the attention of GQ magazine earlier this year, which described him as “the incredibly well-dressed rising star in Canadian politics.” In the magazine’s profile of him, Singh said his personal style is an extension of his political platform.
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