Jagmeet Singh, the first non-White leader of a dominant Canadian federal party, stepped down after suffering a crushing loss in Monday's national election. His New Democratic Party (NDP) dropped from 25 to only 7 seats, losing official party status within the House of Commons. Singh himself was unable to keep his seat in Burnaby Central, where he placed third.
His departure has important domestic and foreign implications. According to The Indian Express, Singh's exit could pave the way for a diplomatic thaw between Canada and India—two nations whose relations had taken a sharp downturn over the past few years, partly because of Singh's open endorsement of Khalistani separatist movements and his confrontational approach towards New Delhi.
A historic ascent ends in a vertical descent
Jagmeet Singh, who is a practicing Sikh of Punjabi origin, became the first turbaned head of a major federal party in Canada when he was elected in 2017. His ascension to power was greeted as a moment of triumph for diversity and representation in Canadian politics.
But his political journey was increasingly defined by polarising positions. Singh wielded significant power during the Trudeau years, propping up the Liberal government through a supply-and-confidence agreement that helped deliver universal dental care and other key reforms. However, that alliance blurred the NDP’s identity and tied it to an unpopular administration, alienating voters who sought a clearer alternative to Trudeau’s Liberals.
Strained India-Canada ties and Singh’s role
Singh's own legacy is also tied up inextricably with Canada's troubled relationship with India. Way back in 2013, long before Singh became NDP leader, he was refused an Indian visa after insisting that the 1984 anti-Sikh riots be declared as genocide. Singh was accused of promoting an "insidious agenda" by the UPA government that threatened the national integrity of India.
With tensions heightened under Justin Trudeau, Singh has escalated the blame against India with the incendiary charge that Indian agents killed Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Singh's photo opportunities with pro-Khalistan groups and his demand that Canada ban the RSS network only helped solidify his reputation in New Delhi as an actor who was sympathetic to anti-India sentiments.
The cold in India-Canada relations hit a high in 2024 when Singh supported the expulsion of Indian diplomats and called for sanctions against the Indian government. His resignation now takes away a significant domestic hurdle to Prime Minister Mark Carney's efforts to reboot relations with India on the basis of "mutual respect and shared economic interests."
Why Singh and the NDP lost ground
A number of critical factors led to Singh's downfall.
- His coalition with Trudeau rendered the NDP indistinguishable from the ruling Liberals.
- His identification with Khalistani groups lost him support among moderates and the Indian diaspora.
- The election became nationalistic in tone after inflammatory remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, mobilizing Canadian voters behind the Liberals and Conservatives.
- NDP lost its core traditional working-class support, obsessing over foreign interference and identity politics while inflation, employment, and housing were on the minds of voters.
Singh’s resignation comes at a time of reckoning for the NDP. Once a champion of working-class Canadians, the party is now widely seen as disconnected and directionless. To survive, it must embark on an ideological reboot, re-engage grassroots supporters, and rebuild credibility with voters outside urban, progressive strongholds.
At the same time, Carney's Liberals—though they fell short of a majority by winning 169 seats in the 343-seat Commons—are anticipated to rule with some level of cross-party cooperation. Without Singh in the public eye, Carney has greater latitude to reshape Canada's foreign policy towards India.
As The Indian Express points out, Singh's departure takes away one of the leading voices of indigenous opposition to reconciliation with New Delhi. For Canada and India, that could signal the start of a new page after decades of mutual distrust and diplomatic standoffs.
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