Jagmeet Singh

Canadian politician and lawyer, first non-white leader of a major federal party.

Chronology: 1979-01-02 – Present

Origins & Early Life

Jagmeet Singh Jimmy Dhaliwal (born January 2, 1979) is a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) from 2017 to 2025 and as the member of Parliament (MP) for Burnaby South from 2019 to 2025. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 2011, representing Bramalea—Gore—Malton until his entry into federal politics. A Canadian-born practising Sikh of Punjabi descent, he was the first non-white politician to be elected to lead a major federal political party in Canada.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

After graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School, Singh became a criminal defence lawyer, starting a law firm with his brother Gurratan. In 2011 his political career began when he contested the 2011 federal election in the federal riding of Bramalea—Gore—Malton which resulted in a narrow victory for Conservative opponent Bal Gosal; he became a member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in the overlapping provincial riding later that year. In 2015, he became deputy leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party, serving under leader Andrea Horwath until 2017. Singh announced his candidacy for the federal New Democratic Party leadership following a leadership review that resulted in a leadership election to replace Tom Mulcair.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Singh was elected leader on October 1, 2017, with a first round vote of 53.8 per cent in a field of four. Upon his election, Singh became the first person of a visible minority group to lead a major Canadian federal political party on a permanent basis, and the second overall after the Bloc Québécois’s former interim leader Vivian Barbot. Singh is also the first turban-wearing Sikh to sit as a provincial legislator in Ontario. He has been widely recognized in Canadian media for his fashion and style sense. Ideologically, Singh identifies as both a progressive and a social democrat.

Source: Wikipedia