NDP leader aims to keep Timmins seat as Angus retires

Federal NDP leader visits northern Ont. Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was in Timmins on Monday to hold a news conference with New Democrat MP Charlie Angus.

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was in Timmins on Monday afternoon, to hold a news conference alongside New Democrat MP Charlie Angus.

Singh said he’s looking to share with northerners his party’s plans to tackle “corporate greed” and affordability – issues he said other party leaders won’t act on.

In his first appearance in Timmins since 2018, the NDP leader honed in on how hard-working northerners face financial pressures that won’t be solved by a Liberal or Conservative government.

“You're spending more than ever and walking out with less than ever. That is not by chance,” Singh said.

“That is because the rules have been written by Liberals and Conservatives so that rich CEOs can rip you off, make record profits.”

He said his New Democrats are the only ones committed to tackling cost-of-living issues by reigning in what he calls corporate greed, namely from large grocery chains.

The party is at risk of losing this long-time federal New Democrat riding -- one of two in the northeast. The historically provincial NDP riding of Timmins turned Conservative and veteran MP Angus is retiring from politics.

“Justin Trudeau has been a failure and Conservatives in Ontario have been a failure,” Singh said.

“Instead of building homes, what did Doug Ford propose? He wanted to sell off public land to his rich developer buddies. So, you know what you get with Conservatives: corruption.”

“(Tory Leader) Pierre Poilievre will be no different,” he continued.

“He's going to pour fuel on the fire of corporate greed and let those rich CEOs, his buddies, rip you off even more.”

Poilievre has made multiple visits to Timmins in recent years, seeing an opportunity to snag the riding. But the NDP said Monday that northerners need New Democrats.

“He hasn't bothered, ever, to meet with any First Nation communities in our region,” said Angus, the Timmins-James Bay MP.

“Imagine that. He hasn't gone underground in the mines. He hasn't met with the municipal leaders because he doesn't care.”

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“We're not coming in and out,” Singh said.

“We're spending time meeting with community members, meeting with leadership, meeting with folks to tell us about the real concerns that they have here. Because we're serious about solutions.”

The solutions Singh is proposing: capping corporate profits on essential grocery items, building affordable homes over luxury units and investing in health care across the country.

Singh is also visiting Kirkland Lake this week, where Poilievre is scheduled to hold a rally next Wednesday.