Burnaby Byelection

Jagmeet Singh tightened his shaky grip on the reins of the N-D-P last night by winning the Burnaby South byelection and claiming a seat in the House of Commons. But the challenge he now faces in reviving the party’s flagging fortunes in time for this fall’s national election was underscored by the N-D-P’s loss to the Liberals in Outremont, the Montreal riding that served as a launching pad for the orange wave that swept Quebec in 2011. Had Singh lost in Burnaby South, he would almost certainly have faced demands to resign as leader. Singh says he will use his voice in the Commons to push for more investment in the Green economy and continue his opposition to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.