Face of Nation : New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh is promising more power to Quebec on portfolios including the environment, language, immigration and justice. Singh is presenting his platform for the province, dubbed “Ensemble pour le Québec,” in Sherbrooke today.
He is positioning his party as “an ally to Quebec and the French language,” building on the work of the late Jack Layton in the 2006 federal election — whose popularity in the province has been unmatched by any NDP leader since. In the 2015 election, 43 NDP MPs lost their ridings in Quebec.
Singh’s proposals include giving Quebec the final word on environmental evaluations for major infrastructure projects on its territory, such as pipelines.
He would also allow the provincial government to apply Bill 101, Quebec’s law to protect and strengthen the French language, to national companies with a presence in Quebec, such as banks and the telecommunications sector.
Supreme Court judges would be required to be able to read and speak in French. The platform offers more money to Quebec cultural organizations, particularly those whose goal is to promote and protect the French language.
Singh would allocate $73 million more to Quebec’s immigration ministry. The funds would allow the province to invest in programs teaching French to and integrating newcomers.
