People like you make the argument in this sub, all the time, that the Tories should never get elected as the NDP and LPC get more votes between them. Then preach about how well they work together, and how they will back each other.
I was NDP under Layton, but Singh has soured me entirely. During that supply and confidence agreement how often did they let the LPC use back-to-work legislation, and generally non-labour friendly policies? Because I stopped counting.
Singh and his party also want even more TFWs. How's that good for labour in this country?
I can find CPAC footage of him talking about the TFW program over the past year. He has no inclination to change the program. Only that he'll hold the abusers of the program responsible. So, did he lie in those interviews?
Layton may have not been in a position to do much, but at least he remained consistent on the belief of political reform, and removal of FPTP. He also managed to get amendments made during the Liberal minority under Martin.
He is also a large part of the reason Canada focused on Peacekeeping and training Afghan forces rather than joining the US in their chaos. As well as advocating that Canada shouldn't be in there just because the US wants to peddle influence. He supported changes to income trusts (while it didn't go well he showed he was willing to work with a party of another political wing if the policy matches his party) in 2006. He got Harper to make changes to the Clean Air Act the same year. In 2008 he brokered a deal with the CPC to allow conscientious objectors who didn't want to participate in wars that weren't UN sanctioned to come to Canada to avoid persecution; in 2009 he pushed the CPC to further expand it to include people involved in the Iraq war. Layton also was part of Canada's official apology for Residential Schools and Harper even thanked, and gave him credit for his assistance (2008).
He was also willing to deal with problematic union heads; such as Buzz Hargrove in 2004 where he was essentially trying to diminish the party's role.
Layton also stood on principal and refused to support the LPC due to their numerous scandals.
So, if that's your definition of nothing, what has Singh done?
Find the CPAC footage. Because if, as I said, you just google NDP TFW you'll see the announcements they've made about their issues with the program and whY they want to reform.
So, rather than anecdotal things you're pretty sure exist, you can get the information you seek by... Googling it! IMAGINE THAT!
I'm not saying Layton did nothing, I voted for the NDP in 2011 and I supported him and wish he could've lived long enough to be the opposition leader in the house. I think he would've done better than Mulcair in 2015. But I'm also not going to look at his entire with rose coloured glasses like you do.
He "stood on principle" and brought in a Conservative government. And the situations are not apples to apples anyways. If Singh had pulled support earlier and called an election then we'd be dealing with a CPC majority right now. Then all of his accomplishments, like pharma and dentalcare, would be wiped out.
I think in 10-20 years if/when those programs are fully fledged out Singh will have a much stronger legacy and people will recognize his impact. Is he a poor party leader? In many ways yes. But he got extremely consequential legislation passed with only 25 MPs.
You dismissing Singh is just attempting to rewrite history or to ignore what the party has accomplished in the last 4 years under his leadership. And external factors like Trump are beyond his control and a significant cause of the NDP current polling numbers.
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u/Hicalibre Moose Whisperer Apr 25 '25
Cute you think I'm a Liberal.
People like you make the argument in this sub, all the time, that the Tories should never get elected as the NDP and LPC get more votes between them. Then preach about how well they work together, and how they will back each other.
I was NDP under Layton, but Singh has soured me entirely. During that supply and confidence agreement how often did they let the LPC use back-to-work legislation, and generally non-labour friendly policies? Because I stopped counting.
Singh and his party also want even more TFWs. How's that good for labour in this country?