merelygifted:

Jagmeet Singh: the ex-lawyer and TikTok star who could topple Trudeau | Canada | The Guardian

The New Democratic party’s leader is riding high in the polls – and could be the kingmaker in next week’s election

He’s the most-liked national political leader in Canada, wears sharply tailored suits, has graced the pages of a men’s fashion magazine and is followed by starstruck fans on social media. And he’s not Justin Trudeau.

With Canada heading to the polls after a snap election controversially called by Trudeau, Jagmeet Singh, leader of the progressive New Democratic party (NDP), has quickly emerged as the most affable politician in Canada – and a powerful figure who is unlikely to become prime minister.

On that last point, Singh and party leaders disagree. He argues that, like the other leaders, he’s competing for a chance to govern when the country votes on 20 September. But although the former human rights lawyer may end up a casualty of a multi-party system that rewards Trudeau’s Liberals and the Conservatives, he could gain kingmaker status.

His appeal among voters comes as Trudeau has stumbled in the polls. Surveys have found up to three-quarters of Canadians disagree with holding an election during the fourth wave of the pandemic. The prime minister is trailing Conservative rival Erin O’Toole by three points. The rookie Tory leader has spent weeks closing the policy gap between his party and the governing Liberals.

On the left, however, Singh is looking to widen that gap. Running on promises to make prescription drugs available to all Canadians, cutting emissions to 50% of 2005 levels by 2030, writing off student-loan debt and tackling inflated housing and rental markets, Singh’s campaign has enjoyed an uptick in support since the election was called in late August.  …