New Democratic Party (NDP) Leader Jagmeet Singh has announced he will step down after a disappointing election night that saw the party lose the majority of its seats and fall short of official party status.
As of early Tuesday morning, the NDP was elected or leading in just seven ridings, down from the 24 seats it held before this election campaign. The result leaves the party without the 12 seats needed for official party status in the House of Commons.
The party has picked up just 6.3% of the national vote as of around 6 a.m., a significant drop from the 17.8% share the party received in 2021.
The NDP leader also lost his seat in Burnaby Central, which he has held since 2019, coming in third.
Singh confirmed he will remain interim leader until a successor is selected.
Speaking to supporters at the NDP election party in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Singh delivered an emotional concession speech, holding back tears as he reflected on his time as leader, thanked his team, and expressed hope for the party’s future.
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you and all of you in this room, you guys poured your heart into this. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done. You’re amazing. Love you all,” he started.
Taking a moment to congratulate Prime Minister Mark Carney on his projected victory, Singh said, “He has an important job to do to represent all Canadians and to protect our country and its sovereignty from the threats of Donald Trump.”
He added, “Tonight and every night, all of us here, we’re on Team Canada. We want Canada to thrive, and we’re going to continue to fight for Canada.”
Reflecting on the loss of his seat, Singh said, “It’s been the honour of my life to represent the people of Burnaby Central. Tonight, they chose a new member of Parliament, and I wish them well as they continue to work hard for this community.”
Describing it as a “disappointing night for New Democrats,” Singh apologized to NDP candidates who didn’t win their seats.
“I’m so sorry you’re not gonna be able to represent your communities. I know you’re going to continue to fight for them. I know how many doors you knocked, how many family dinners you missed, how many nights your kids went to bed without you there to tuck them in. I know it was a tough sacrifice […]. Thank you.”
He continued, “Choosing to commit your life to politics obviously comes with some sacrifice, but we choose this life because of the chance to change the country you love for the better. We may lose sometimes, and those losses hurt.”
“It’s tough, but we are only defeated if we stop fighting. We’re only defeated when we believe that those that tell us that we can never dream of a better Canada, a fairer Canada, a more compassionate Canada. “
The emotion could be heard in the NDP leader’s voice as he said, “I have met New Democrats from coast to coast to coast, who will never back down, even when they’re told that there’s no room for them at the table. We make room for everyone because we believe that there is enough wealth in Canada for all of us to live the life that we deserve.”
Recognizing his own emotion, Singh joked that he couldn’t make eye contact with some of the people in the room “because then it’s gonna get too emotional up here.”
“So I just made the mistake of doing that,” he said. “So I’m gonna look away now. You know who you are. Don’t look at me again.”
He then reflected on winning the NDP leadership back in 2017 before announcing to the crowds that he’d be stepping down once a new leader had been chosen.
“Almost eight years ago, I was elected the leader of this incredible party, this incredible movement. I’ve worked really hard to be worthy of this trust, to live up to the legacy of our movement.”
“Tonight, I’ve informed our party leader that I’ll be stepping down as party leader as soon as an interim leader can be appointed.”
Singh then asked the crowd to “give me a second to break down” as he thanked his wife, Gurkiran Kaur, and their two daughters, Anhad and Dani.
“I get emotional anytime I talk about my kids. I’m very sappy when it comes to my daughters. So, I get a little emotional,” he said, visibly moved.
Pausing to hold back more tears, he said, “I might break down [during] this part, so forgive me. I can only do this, and we can only do this work, because of a great staff, and y’all just poured your heart into me into the work that we did.”
Joking about his emotions and having to continually sip water to hold back his tears, Singh said, “It’s a good thing that there’s water here! This water is very strategically placed for me, so it’s very, it’s very, very lucky that I have it!”
He concluded the emotional speech by saying, “Obviously, I’m disappointed that we could not win more seats, but I’m not disappointed in our movement. I’m hopeful for our party. I know that we will always choose hope over fear, optimism over despair, and unity over hate.”
“New Democrats literally built this country. We built the best of Canada, and we aren’t going anywhere. Thank you, thank you so much. Love you all.”
Jagmeet Singh wasn’t the only party leader to lose out on their seat. While Mark Carney secured his seat in the riding of Napean, Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault took fifth place in his attempt to secure a Montreal seat.
Similarly, Pierre Poilievre is projected to lose his seat in the riding of Carleton.
It was the Liberals who flipped Singh’s former Burnaby Central seat, handing him yet another blow on an already tough night for the NDP.
You can read about Mark Carney’s victory speech and his defiant comments about Donald Trump here.
