About Jagmeet

43 years old

Hometown: Scarborough, Ontario

Jagmeet was born in Scarborough but lived as a young child in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador before moving with his family to Windsor, Ontario. Jagmeet completed a biology degree at the University of Western Ontario and studied law at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School. He worked as a criminal defence lawyer until he was elected as a Member of Provincial Parliament in the Brampton area in 2011. Before transitioning from provincial to federal politics in 2017, Jagmeet was the Deputy Leader of the Ontario NDP. He is fluent in four languages (English, French, Hindi, and Punjabi) and practices Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

An NDP government would aim to increase the wages of over 900,000 Canadian workers by instituting a national minimum wage, to be set at $15. All unpaid internships outside of school programs would be banned.^[1][2]

If elected, an NDP government will implement a universal basic income pilot project.^[3][4]

If elected, an NDP government would declare a climate emergency and seek to make Canada a world leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The NDP would invest in energy efficient green technologies in order to stabilize the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.^[9][8]

An NDP government would seek to make all federal vehicles electric by 2025 and to electrify transit and municipal fleets by 2030.^[9][8]

An NDP government would maintain the federal carbon tax and will hold large polluters accountable for greenhouse gas emissions.^[9][8]

An NDP government would establish a new Canadian Climate Bank to generate investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and low carbon technology. The NDP would set a goal of powering all of Canada with net carbon-free electricity by 2030 and moving to 100% non-emitting electricity by 2050.^[9][8]

An NDP government would fight privatization and user fees in the Canadian healthcare system.^[3][4]

Under the NDP, access to services such as abortions and primary care would be improved in all regions in Canada and wait times for services would be reduced.^[3][4]

If elected, an NDP government will invest $10 billion every year and work alongside provincial governments to fund prescription drugs for all Canadians.^[6][5]

An NDP government would declare opioid addiction a public health emergency and launch an investigation into the role pharmaceutical companies have played in fueling the crisis.^[3][4]

If elected, an NDP government will commit 0.7% of Canada’s Gross National Income to international development assistance.^[14][15]

An NDP government would support a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel that respects human rights and international law.^[14][15]

If elected, an NDP government will work with provinces to cap and reduce tuition fees at post-secondary institutions and eventually work towards integrating post-secondary education into the public education system.^[16][17]

An NDP government would eliminate interest on student debt so that the federal government no longer profits from student loans. Further, the NDP would transition away from loans and offer more grants which do not have to be paid back.^[16][17]

To reunite families, an elected NDP government would end the cap to sponsor parents and grandparents to come to Canada and reduce backlogs to speed up the process.^[18][19]

If elected, an NDP government will continue to resettle refugees and asylum seekers in Canadian communities. The NDP would suspend the Safe Third Country agreement so that asylum seekers travelling from the United States to Canada can apply at official border crossings.^[18][19]

An NDP government would invest $5 billion in the first 18 months of their term to provide affordable housing and build 500,000 affordable units over 10 years.^[16][17]

If elected, an NDP government will establish fast-start funds to quickly build co-operative, social, and non-profit housing.^[16][17]

If elected, an NDP government will modernize and expand public transit across Canadian communities. Federal transit funds will be directed towards scaling up low carbon transit and electrifying transit fleets by 2030.^[9][8]

If elected, an NDP government will work towards making public transit fare-free and more affordable.^[9][8]

An NDP government will implement a national universal child care program.^[6][5]

If elected, an NDP government would establish affordable not-for-profit child care to enable 300,000 more women to join the labour force. An NDP government would invest $1 billion towards childcare in 2020 and grow that investment annually.^[16][5]

An NDP government would seek to reconcile the relationship between the Crown and Indigenous groups across Canada. To do this, the NDP would develop a National Action Plan for Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. This plan would ensure that Canada’s laws, policies, and practices are consistent with Canada’s human rights commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.^[10]

The NDP would replace consultation with standard of free, prior and informed consent for Indigenous communities affected by government policies. This would mean that consent must be obtained from Indigenous peoples before decisions affecting constitutionally protected land rights (like energy project reviews) are made.^[10]

No specific policy has been suggested in the party's current platform.