Terezia Farkas of the Huffington Post Had This to Say on JAGMEET SING:
During the NDP leadership race, Jagmeet Singh said that, if he won, he would not run for a seat in the House of Commons until the next federal election in 2019. Singh defended h…
Terezia Farkas of the Huffington Post Had This to Say on JAGMEET SING:
During the NDP leadership race, Jagmeet Singh said that, if he won, he would not run for a seat in the House of Commons until the next federal election in 2019. Singh defended his decision by suggesting that he's imitating Jack Layton and noted that he would use his time to connect with Canadians and raise funds. But are
NDP supporters happy that their new leader may not to seek a seat in Parliament?
Having your party leader in Parliament matters. Some joke that Parliament's question period is about asking questions, not getting answers. One might not get answers, but the questions do matter. An MP is the voice of the people, holding the government accountable.
Saying that Jagmeet Singh doesn't have to attend question period shows a disrespect to the Canadian Parliamentary system and the public. It was NDP party supporters who elected him — it wasn't the Canadian public. And Jagmeet Singh needs to earn their respect and trust. Question period in Parliament is one way to do that.
A party leader provides a cohesive framework and narrative for the party to follow. Party voices aren't always along the same spectrum. Every party has their far right and far left. The party leader hears all those opinions and concerns via the MPs, and creates consensus and a unified front. The party leader is like a boss of any business. You may not need the boss in everyday, but you wouldn't be OK not having the boss show up for two years.
The idea that a party leader needs to be present in the House of Commons is very important; indeed, the NDP lambasted the Conservatives and Liberals whenever their leaders were absent. Now it seems like the NDP are OK doing exactly what they criticized the Liberals and Conservatives for: having an absent leader.
Then there's the question of who pays for Jagmeet Singh's salary as the NDP party leader. Does Jagmeet Singh get paid with taxpayer money, or does the NDP party fun..
