The New Democratic Party has revealed the party's main message to voters during the 2019 federal election campaign: "In it for you."
In a new television ad unveiled Tuesday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh delivers the message that the party says will be the campaign's main slogan in English. In Quebec, the slogan is slightly different: "On se bat pour vous" which translates to "we fight for you."
The NDP has been using the lines "On your side" and "A new deal for people" in the run-up to the campaign, and says it will continue to use those messages alongside these two new slogans as its candidates campaign across Canada.
In the new English-language ad, Singh talks about what he says the NDP will do to help average Canadians, including expanding health care, making housing and post-secondary education more affordable, and taking on big polluters and corporate tax giveaways.
"People tell me I’m different from the other leaders -- and I am. I don’t work for the wealthy and the well-connected; I don’t think governments should be run for their benefit like it has for decades. I believe government should work for all of us," Singh says in the 30-second ad.
The commercial begins with Singh greeting a factory worker, a barista in a coffee shop and then a health care professional.
He goes on to say that he has a plan to invest in the services people need, tackle the climate crisis and cut costs for families.
From the NDP's prioritization of issues like housing and health care, and the Conservatives' emphasis on taxes, to the Liberals' years-long focus on "the middle class," affordability is set to be a central issue in this coming campaign, with each party offering its own plan.
The slogan appears on screen at the end of the ad, with "for you" in italics, as Singh plays soccer with a group of kids.
"Not just saying the right things, but actually doing them," Singh concludes, facing the camera. "Now that’s different."
The party says that the French-language ad is a "reintroduction of the leader and his values to Quebecers."
Similar to the English version, Singh begins by setting himself up as different from the other leaders. The ad starts with Singh staring ahead, without his turban, saying that, like Quebecers, he is proud of his identity.
He then is shown looking at photos with his wife Gurkiran, wrapping his turban, and then wrapping his hands before entering a boxing ring. The leader is then shown walking, cycling, and marching in the Montreal Pride parade as he discusses the NDP's policies.
It focuses on Singh but includes a momentary focus on MP and NDP deputy for the province: Alexandre Boulerice. The party says that Singh will lead the party’s presence in the province.
Singh does not specifically mention Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer in either of these ads, though a press release from the party says that, unlike Trudeau and Scheer, "Jagmeet is in it for you, he is on [the] people's side and will put their interests first."
The ruling Liberals have settled on "Choose Forward" as their official campaign theme. The Conservatives, meanwhile, are going with "It's time for you to get ahead."
Not to be left out of the moving onwards theme, the Green party is campaigning on the slogan: "Not Left. Not Right. Forward Together." The People's Party is going with "Strong and free."
The federal election is scheduled for Oct. 21, with the campaign can now be called any day between now and Sept. 15.
With files from CTV News' Rachel Aiello
