Jagmeet Singh

Early life, education and legal career

Jagmeet Singh Jimmy Dhaliwal was born on January 2, 1979 in Scarborough, Ontario, to Punjabi immigrant parents Harmeet Kaur and Jagtaran Dhaliwal. His mother is from Ghudani Khurd in Ludhiana district and his father is from Thikriwala in Barnala district. His family has a history of political and military service, with a great-grandfather, Sewa Singh Thikriwala, being an activist for Indian independence and another, Hira Singh, serving in both World Wars with the Sikh Regiment of the British Indian Army. After a year in India as a toddler, Singh spent part of his childhood in Newfoundland and Labrador, living in St. John's and Grand Falls-Windsor, before his family settled in Windsor, Ontario. He has spoken publicly about experiencing sexual abuse as a child from a martial arts coach and having a father who struggled with alcoholism. Singh attended Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills, Michigan for grades six through twelve before pursuing higher education in Ontario.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Western Ontario in 2001. Singh then attended York University's Osgoode Hall Law School, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 2005 and being called to the bar of Ontario in 2006. He began his legal career as a criminal defence lawyer in the Greater Toronto Area, first at the firm Pinkofskys and later founding his own practice, Singh Law, with his brother Gurratan. His work in criminal defence, particularly advocating for Charter rights, influenced his decision to enter politics. Singh also provided pro bono consulting to an activist group protesting the Canadian visit of former Indian trade minister Kamal Nath, an experience that further inspired his political run after the group failed to get their views heard through other channels.

Entry into politics and provincial career

Jagmeet Singh's political career began with his candidacy in the 2011 federal election as the NDP candidate in Bramalea, Gore, Malton. During this campaign, he chose to stop using his surname, Dhaliwal, to signal his rejection of the caste system, opting for the more common Singh instead. He was narrowly defeated by Conservative candidate Bal Gosal by 539 votes, though he finished ahead of the incumbent Liberal MP, Gurbax Singh Malhi. Later that same year, he ran in the overlapping provincial riding in the 2011 Ontario election and was successful, defeating Liberal incumbent Kuldip Kular by 2,277 votes. This victory made him the first turban-wearing Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) and the first New Democrat elected from the Peel Region.

In the Ontario legislature, Singh was appointed the NDP critic for the attorney general and consumer services portfolios and served as deputy house leader. He called for greater police accountability and demanded legislation to strengthen Ontario's Special Investigations Unit. He introduced several private member's bills and motions focused on consumer protection and social justice. Key legislative efforts from his first term included a March 2012 bill to amend the Insurance Act to end geographic rating for auto insurance, which did not pass after complaints it would raise rates in rural and Northern Ontario. A May 2012 bill aimed at high fees on overseas money transfers died when the legislature was prorogued in September 2012. A March 2013 motion calling for a 15 percent reduction in auto insurance premiums passed and was included in the government's budget. In December 2013, his legislation to recognize April as Sikh Heritage Month in Ontario was passed by the legislature.

Singh was re-elected in 2014 with 43.6 percent of the vote, defeating both his 2011 opponent Kuldip Kular and PC challenger Harjit Jaswal. In his second term, he continued his advocacy, introducing a bill in November 2015 to increase oversight of the homebuilding regulator Tarion, which would have given the Ontario Ombudsman jurisdiction to investigate it. He successfully passed a unanimous motion in October 2015 to end arbitrary police street checks, known as carding. He also sparked controversy with a bill to exempt turban-wearing Sikhs from motorcycle helmet laws, which was denied, leading him to accuse the government of paying lip service to civil rights. He was a critic of the province's handling of the Ornge Air Ambulance service. In June 2015, the integrity commissioner chastised Singh for the improper use of constituency resources for partisan purposes, though no fine was issued as he acted to fix the breaches when alerted. Singh served as deputy leader of the Ontario NDP from 2015 until he resigned his seat on October 20, 2017, following his election as federal NDP leader.

Election as federal NDP leader

Following Tom Mulcair's loss in a leadership review at the 2016 NDP convention, Jagmeet Singh emerged as a potential candidate, winning the support of 11 percent of NDP members in an April 2016 Mainstreet Research poll. He officially launched his campaign for the federal NDP leadership on May 15, 2017, in Brampton. During the campaign, a claim that his candidacy had led to 47,000 new party sign-ups was contested by rival campaigns, most notably that of Charlie Angus. A Mainstreet Research poll in September showed Singh leading the race with 27.3 percent of the vote. Just days before the vote, a video of him calmly confronting a heckler who accused him of supporting sharia law went viral, boosting his profile. The leadership election was held on October 1, 2017, and Singh won decisively on the first ballot with 53.8 percent of the vote, ahead of Charlie Angus, Niki Ashton and Guy Caron. His victory made him the first person from a visible minority group to permanently lead a major federal political party in Canada, and the second overall after the Bloc Québécois's former interim leader Vivian Barbot.

Initially, Singh chose to lead the party from outside Parliament, stating he preferred to run in a riding where he felt a genuine connection rather than any safe seat. He named leadership rival Guy Caron as parliamentary leader. In a December 2017 interview with Bloomberg, Singh stated he would not rule out working with the Conservatives to topple a Liberal minority government if the NDP held the balance of power. In February 2018, Singh suspended Saskatchewan MP Erin Weir from the NDP caucus after soliciting complaints. An investigation received 15 complaints of which 11 were dismissed as trivial. Weir was formally expelled in May 2018, a decision that was controversial as the investigator described the conduct as on the low-end of the scale and not normally understood as sexual harassment. A group of 67 former Saskatchewan NDP MPs and MLAs sent a letter calling for his reinstatement, which Singh rejected after a meeting with Weir in June 2018.

Federal parliamentary career and elections

To enter the House of Commons, Jagmeet Singh ran in a by-election in Burnaby South, called after MP Kennedy Stewart resigned to run for mayor of Vancouver. Singh relocated to Burnaby for the election and won the by-election on February 25, 2019, with 38.9 percent of the vote. He led the NDP into the 2019 federal election with the party at risk of losing official status, having lost the riding of Nanaimo, Ladysmith to the Greens in a by-election and with polls showing vulnerability in Quebec. The NDP also saw low fundraising numbers during this period. Singh was widely credited with a strong performance in the English leaders' debate on October 7, 2019, which improved his and the party's standings, following positive coverage of his handling of racial issues. On election day, he was re-elected in Burnaby South, but the NDP won only 24 seats nationally, a loss of 20 from 2015. This was the party's lowest seat count since 2004, and it fell behind the Bloc Québécois to become the fourth party in the House, losing all but one of its seats in Quebec.

In the 2021 federal election, the NDP gained one seat, winning 25 seats, and remained the fourth party. Singh was re-elected in Burnaby South with a majority of slightly more than 4,000 votes. The 2025 federal election proved disastrous for the NDP under Singh's leadership. The party lost official party status, falling below the required 12 seats, and Singh was personally defeated in the riding of Burnaby Central. On election night, he announced his resignation as party leader, stating he would step down once an interim leader was appointed. He was replaced on an interim basis by Vancouver Kingsway MP Don Davies until Avi Lewis was elected as the new permanent leader in the March 2026 leadership election. This result marked the worst election performance in the history of the New Democratic Party.

Confidence and supply agreement and policy legacy

A defining feature of Jagmeet Singh's tenure as NDP leader was the negotiation of a confidence and supply agreement with the minority Liberal government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The agreement, signed in March 2022, committed the NDP to support the government on key confidence votes and budget measures in exchange for progress on New Democratic policy priorities. This political arrangement was instrumental in keeping the Liberal government in power until the agreement was terminated by the NDP in September 2024. The most significant policy achievements extracted from this agreement were in the area of health care. The agreement directly led to the enactment of the Canadian Dental Care Plan, a federal program to provide dental coverage for eligible Canadians. It resulted in the establishment of a legislative framework for a national pharmacare program, a long standing NDP goal aimed at creating universal medication coverage. These two policy wins are considered the most substantial legislative legacy of Singh's leadership, achieved through strategic parliamentary cooperation in a minority government context. The deal demonstrated the NDP's ability to wield influence and deliver concrete policy results despite its fourth party status in the House of Commons.

Post-political career and activities

Following his resignation as NDP leader and departure from Parliament after the 2025 election, Jagmeet Singh transitioned to a career as a public speaker, joining the roster of Speakers' Spotlight. He frames his speaking topics around leadership principles rooted in service, coalition building in polarized times, and a vision for Canada's economic future that includes infrastructure investment and a care economy. The NDP paid tribute to his service at its 2026 convention in Winnipeg. In July 2026, CTV News reported that Singh was being considered for an appointment as the chief executive officer of Destination Canada, the national tourism marketing organization. This potential appointment drew criticism from some within the tourism industry who questioned his relevant experience, with one senior source calling it an insult to an organization responsible for a billion dollars in economic activity. The compensation for such a role at a federal Crown corporation can reach up to $350,000 annually. Singh became eligible for his federal parliamentary pension following his years of service as an MP and party leader.

Personal life, ideology and public image

Jagmeet Singh is a practising Sikh of Punjabi descent and belongs to the Dhaliwal clan of Jat Sikhs. He is known for his distinctive style, often wearing brightly coloured turbans and tailored suits, which garnered significant attention in Canadian media. He has two younger siblings, brother Gurratan Singh, who was elected as an MPP for Brampton East in 2018, and sister Manjot, both born during the family's time in Newfoundland. Singh is a purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu. He married fashion designer Gurkiran Kaur Sidhu in February 2018. They have two daughters, Anhad born in January 2022 and a second daughter born in December 2023. His social media presence describes him as a girl dad. Ideologically, Singh identifies as both a progressive and a social democrat. His political approach has often emphasized compassion, inclusivity and a commitment to social justice, themes he continues to discuss in his post political career as a speaker. He has also been involved in campaigns outside Ontario, endorsing Wab Kinew in the 2017 Manitoba NDP leadership race and campaigning for NDP candidates in Alberta, British Columbia and Nova Scotia. Following the death of Fidel Castro in 2017, Singh tweeted praise for the Cuban leader's revolution, a position he reiterated when challenged. He is fluent in English, French and Punjabi.

Questions about Jagmeet Singh

Is Jagmeet Singh still the leader of the NDP?

No, Jagmeet Singh served as leader from 2017 to 2025. Following the 2025 federal election, where the NDP lost official party status and Singh was defeated in Burnaby Central, he announced his resignation. He was replaced on an interim basis by Vancouver Kingsway MP Don Davies. Avi Lewis was elected as the new permanent leader in March 2026.

What is Jagmeet Singh doing now after politics?

After leaving politics, Jagmeet Singh has become a public speaker with the agency Speakers' Spotlight. In July 2026, a CTV News report indicated he was under consideration for appointment as the Chief Executive Officer of Destination Canada. Destination Canada is the national tourism marketing crown corporation. However, the report noted that no final decision on the appointment had been confirmed at that time.

What were Jagmeet Singh's biggest accomplishments as NDP leader?

His most significant accomplishment was negotiating the 2022 confidence and supply agreement with the governing Liberal Party. This agreement resulted in the enactment of the Canadian Dental Care Plan for low-income Canadians. It also established a legislative framework for a national pharmacare program. The New Democratic Party terminated this agreement in September 2024.

What was Jagmeet Singh's profession before politics?

Before entering politics, Jagmeet Singh worked as a criminal defence lawyer in the Greater Toronto Area. He was called to the bar of Ontario in 2006 after graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School. Singh first worked at the law firm Pinkofskys. He later established his own practice called Singh Law, which he co-founded with his brother Gurratan Singh.

How did Jagmeet Singh become the leader of the NDP?

Jagmeet Singh was elected leader of the federal New Democratic Party on October 1, 2017, winning the leadership election on the first ballot with 53.8 percent of the vote. He announced his candidacy in May 2017 following a leadership review that resulted in an election to replace Tom Mulcair. During the campaign, a video of him calmly confronting a heckler went viral and boosted his profile. He won in a field of four candidates, defeating Charlie Angus, Niki Ashton, and Guy Caron. Upon his election, he became the first person of a visible minority to permanently lead a major Canadian federal political party.

What was the result of the 2025 federal election for Jagmeet Singh and the NDP?

The 2025 federal election resulted in the worst outcome in NDP party history, with the party losing official party status and Jagmeet Singh being defeated in his own riding of Burnaby Central. On election night, Singh announced his resignation as party leader. He was succeeded on an interim basis by Vancouver Kingsway MP Don Davies until a new leader, Avi Lewis, was elected in the March 2026 leadership election. This defeat marked the end of Singh's tenure as MP, which had begun in 2019 for Burnaby South.

Sources and further reading

• Jagmeet Singh (Wikipedia)
• Jagmeet Singh being considered for Destination Canada ... (cp24.com)
• Jagmeet Singh | Former NDP Leader | Keynote Speaker (speakers.ca)

Checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-10-21.