Federal New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh packed the warehouse area of Tin Whistle Brewing at the Cannery Trade Centre for a so-called JagMeet and Greet at the tail end of a Penticton tour Friday.
| Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was met with plenty of fanfare at his JagMeet and Greet rally in Penticton's Tin Whistle Brewing Company. Dustin Godfrey/Western News |
While the next federal election is still a year-and-a-half away, the event had the feel of a campaign rally, and came with a call for donations at the end, with at least one person answering the call for a $200 donation.
Singh was met with plenty of fanfare, with some attendees asking Singh for his signature, while others made the early prediction that he would be their next prime minister.
Though it was called an unscripted event, Singh did effectively follow talking points he has been repeating at various rallies and in the media.
Earlier in the day, Singh and member of Parliament Richard Cannings, South Okanagan91裸聊视频擶est Kootenay, toured various spots around town, including visiting trades students at Okanagan College and talking Indigenous issues at the Ooknakane Friendship Centre.
Between it all, Singh and Cannings made themselves available to media at a round table in a conference room in the Penticton Lakeside Resort, where Singh answered questions ranging from the Alberta-B.C. trade cold war to reconciliation to housing and the opioid epidemic.
On the Kinder Morgan pipeline
Singh told reporters he feels the federal government91裸聊视频檚 role in the Kinder Morgan pipeline dispute, which has led to threats of a trade war between the only two New Democrat governments in Canada in Alberta and B.C., is largely one involving the energy approval process.
When it comes to the National Energy Board, Singh called the process a 91裸聊视频渟ham,91裸聊视频� and noted the Liberal Party had campaigned on changing the energy evaluation process.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 the federal government that broke its promise. It91裸聊视频檚 Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau who broke his commitment to having a modernized environmental assessment process that would take into account the evidence, environmental concerns, concerns around diluted bitumen oil spills, concerns around the Indigenous communities,91裸聊视频� he said.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e in this position now because of the federal government. It91裸聊视频檚 the federal government91裸聊视频檚 responsibility, so we91裸聊视频檙e going to hold the government to account.91裸聊视频�
Singh gave three criteria for approving an energy product: whether the project works toward meeting climate goals, whether it creates local development or is solely for export and whether it meets the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
91裸聊视频淭hese are three concrete criteria 91裸聊视频� if a project can satisfy, we can look at it,91裸聊视频� Singh said.
Under UNDRIP, governments would be mandated to obtain 91裸聊视频渇ree, prior and informed consent91裸聊视频� from Indigenous communities when developing or approving developments on their lands, which has had a bit of debate as to whether that means a veto for every First Nation, for instance, along with Kinder Morgan pipeline.
Asked how he views free, prior and informed consent Singh only pointed to Bill C-262 from NDP member Romeo Saganash, but that bill does not appear to clarify any interpretation of the phrase.
On the opioid crisis
The opioid epidemic appears to show no signs of abatement, with about 4,000 people dying of overdose across Canada 91裸聊视频� 1,422 of which were in B.C., a province with about an eighth of Canada91裸聊视频檚 population.
Still, while the B.C. government has declared a state of emergency, the federal government has shied away from such a declaration.
91裸聊视频淚f Zika, on a Zika outbreak, resulted in 4,000 Canadians dying, you know there would be mobile centres set up tomorrow, there91裸聊视频檇 be centres set up everywhere to tackle the outbreak,91裸聊视频� Singh said.
91裸聊视频淭his is a health-care outbreak. People are dying. We need to treat it like a public health emergency.91裸聊视频�
But on a more broad scope, Singh said he would take a page from Portugal91裸聊视频檚 book on addictions and drug policy, where the government decriminalized simple possession in 2001 and has since seen a dramatic decline in things like drug-related crime, HIV transmission and overdose deaths.
91裸聊视频淭his current approach (in Canada) is not working. It91裸聊视频檚 not saving people91裸聊视频檚 lives, it91裸聊视频檚 not meaning that we91裸聊视频檙e seeing a reduction in addictions or the levels of addiction,91裸聊视频� Singh said.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not helping people live better lives; it91裸聊视频檚 just not working. But we91裸聊视频檙e still doing it. We91裸聊视频檙e committed to this path that doesn91裸聊视频檛 really make any sense. It doesn91裸聊视频檛 achieve any of our goals.91裸聊视频�
On the economy
Both with reporters and at the rally at Tin Whistle Brewing, Singh said the two biggest issues he has been hearing about are housing and the economy.
| Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was met with enthusiasm from attendees from a wide range of ages, from the young to the elderly at a JagMeet and Greet rally Friday. Dustin Godfrey/Western News |
91裸聊视频淥n one hand you have the economy, numbers showing things are moving really well. Like, OK, that91裸聊视频檚 great, the economy91裸聊视频檚 going well, but it91裸聊视频檚 not actually helping me. I don91裸聊视频檛 see the benefits in my life.91裸聊视频�
Singh pointed to an Ipsos survey conducted for MNP Financial, released in January, which showed 48 per cent of Canadians feel they are $200 or less away from financial crisis, though that number drops to about four out of 10 in B.C.
91裸聊视频淭hat doesn91裸聊视频檛 seem like the economy91裸聊视频檚 doing well for those folks,91裸聊视频� he said, adding that while the world economy is growing, including Canada91裸聊视频檚, the vast majority of the growth is going to a small number of people.
91裸聊视频淟ast year, 80 per cent of the wealth generated in the world, including Canada, went to the top one per cent, the most wealthiest, the most powerful. So the evidence actually makes out how people. The economy may be working, but it91裸聊视频檚 not working for everybody.91裸聊视频�
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Dustin Godfrey | Reporter
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