Page 52 - 15NOV2019E

Punjabi Canadian becomes

‘kingmaker’ in Canada

Trudeau requires at least 13 legislators from his left-leaning to him earlier in the day, the report said.
Singh, a leftist former criminal de-
rival parties to reach the ‘magic number’ of 170 to form a Liberal fence lawyer, said he wants the NDP to
Party-led minority government in the 338-seat House of play a “constructive and positive role” in
Commons, reports tehelka bureau the new Parliament.
“The winner of this election is not a
ndian-origin Canadian Jagmeet Democrats are going to be working to leader or a party — the winners should
Singh-led New Democratic Party make sure Canadians’ lives are better,” he be Canadians. They want a government
(NDP), which won 24 seats in the was quoted as saying by globalnews.ca. that works for them. Not the rich and the
general election, is likely to emerge Singh said his party’s elected officials powerful,” Singh tweeted.
I as the “kingmaker” where Prime will now head to Ottawa to tackle a num- In the Liberal government elected in
Minister Justin Trudeau’’s Liberal Party ber of issues, including taking “real and 2015, Indian-Canadians had notched up a
held onto power in a nail-biting poll, al- urgent action” on climate change, mak- record number of 19 seats. Of those 19, as
beit as a weakened minority government. ing life more affordable for Canadians many as 18 were of Punjabi origin.
In the just-concluded Canadian gen- and making sure the “super wealthy pay Trudeau’’s outgoing Cabinet has four
eral election, the results of which were their fair share”. Sikhs — defence minister Harjit Sajjan;
declared on October 22, the Liberal Party Singh, who was himself a prime min- infrastructure minister Amarjeet Sohi;
bagged 157 seats, the opposition Con- isterial contender, said he wants the NDP innovation, science and economic de-
servative 121, Bloc Quebecois 32, NDP 24, to play a “constructive” role in the new velopment minister Navdeep Bains and
Green Party 3 and one Independent. Parliament, the Canadian Broadcasting tourism minister Bardish Chagger.
Trudeau would now require at least Corporation reported. The Green Party has already indi -
13 legislators from his left-leaning rival Addressing supporters at his party cated to remain in the Opposition with
parties to reach the ‘’magic number’’ of headquarters in Burnaby, 40-year-old its leader Elizabeth May saying that
170 to form a Liberal Party-led minor- Singh said, “It is such an amazing honour her party would work hard to hold the
ity government in the 338-seat House of to be home here in British Columbia with government to account by “non-stop
Commons. all of you.” arm-twisting”.
“The New Democratic Party is poised The first non-white leader of a federal Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois
to play kingmaker in a minority parlia- political party in Canada congratulated Blanchet has also apparently signalled
ment after Jagmeet Singh spearheaded Trudeau, 47, on his win and said he spoke at his unwillingness to join the govern-
a turnaround on the federal campaign ment. “The Bloc Quebecois does not want
trail that may have saved his leadership to form a government or participate in a
and pulled his party from the brink of ir- As many as 18 Sikhs government,” he said and added that he
relevance,” the Toronto Star newspaper were voted to the does not think that the people of Canada
reported. voted for a minority government be-
With 24 seats in its kitty, the NDP has Canadian Parliament. cause they want to go back to the polls in
lost nearly 50 per cent of the seats it had The number of Sikhs 18 months.
won in 2015. The party, led by Thomas Separately, Prime Minister Naren-
Mulcair, had won 44 seats, becoming the in the Canadian dra Modi congratulated Trudeau for
third-largest party in the House of Com- Parliament’s lower returning to power. “Congratulations
mons in 2015. @JustinTrudeau. India and Canada are
Despite the drop in seats, Singh in a house, the House connected by shared values and a strong
celebratory speech said his party will commitment to democracy as well as
now be “working hard” to deliver on the of Commons, is plurality. Looking forward to working
“priorities that Canadians have”. higher than those together to further strengthen bilateral
“When we get back to Ottawa, every relations,” the prime minister tweeted.
single day we are in parliament, New in India’s Lok Sabha Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Lib-

Tehelka / 15 november 2019 52 www.Tehelka.com