Jagmeet Singh announces his resignation as leader of the NDP, following the results of the election, at his reception in Burnaby, B.C., on April 28.Tijana Martin/The Globe and Mail
The NDP faces a challenging road ahead after being reduced to just seven seats in the House of Commons, losing its official party status, and having its leader, Jagmeet Singh, announce his resignation upon failing to win his riding.
The loss of official party status in Monday’s election will affect New Democrats’ access to parliamentary resources considered essential for political work. A party needs at least 12 MPs to be considered a “recognized party” for parliamentary proceedings.
The last time the federal NDP lost this status was in 1993 under then-leader Audrey McLaughlin, when it won nine seats.
Before Parliament was dissolved in late March, there were 24 MPs in the NDP caucus.
Former B.C. NDP MP Nathan Cullen, who represented the riding of Skeena-Bulkley Valley from 2004 to 2019, said the loss of party status is “brutal.”
“We’ll rebuild and renew, but man, it’s hard,” Mr. Cullen said in an interview, adding that he felt for New Democrat MPs who lost their seats.
Mr. Singh, who was defeated in the B.C. riding of Burnaby Central, announced in an emotional speech to supporters Monday night that he will resign as party leader as soon as an interim replacement can be named.
“We did some incredible work together,” he said.
“Obviously, I’m disappointed that we could not win more seats, but I’m not disappointed in our movement. I’m hopeful for our party. I know that we will always choose hope over fear, and optimism over despair, and unity over hate.”
Peter Julian, who was first elected in 2004, was also among New Democrats who were not re-elected.
Mr. Julian, who represented the B.C. riding of New Westminster-Burnaby, played a prominent role in his party over the years, including serving as House leader.
In a post on X after Monday’s vote, Mr. Julian shared a picture of his late parents. He said they voted for the final time in the previous election and died shortly after. They taught him two lessons, he added: Always vote, and the people are always right. “Both are true,” he wrote.
The New Democrats have yet to announce details about a future leadership race, but recruiting competitors with the party in a much weakened state might prove challenging. It is expected to name an interim leader as a first step.
Karl Bélanger, president of Traxxion Strategies and former national director for the NDP, said the party will not have the luxury of time to rebuild in the event of an “unstable” Liberal minority government before it picks a permanent leader. Nevertheless, New Democrats will need to do “some soul-searching,” he said.
Mr. Bélanger said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the Liberals tried to get some New Democrats, or MPs from other parties, to cross the floor.
While there will be a desire for stability as the government takes on U.S. President Donald Trump, NDP MPs do not have a history of floor-crossing, Mr. Cullen said.
“I think you can work together,” he said, adding this does not require an “ultimate jump in the pool.”
Heather McPherson, a New Democrat who held on to her Edmonton riding, dismissed the idea, saying she will remain a “staunch Team Orange.”
While Ms. McPherson is seen as a possible NDP leadership contender, she said she hasn’t made a decision on that, and she is still processing the election results, including the loss of many colleagues.
She signalled that the New Democrats are ready to work with the government in areas of agreement, though there may be fewer of these under Liberal Leader Mark Carney.
“I do worry when there is a banker in the position of Prime Minister, that everyday folks might get forgotten, and that we may have a government that swings to the right,” she said. “That’s not something that the NDP is interested in.”
Given that the NDP is unlikely to be ready for a rematch any time soon, Mr. Bélanger said it may have little choice but to co-operate with the Liberals.
The party may be able to make public policy gains in doing so, he added, though it may not be to the extent possible under former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
From March, 2022, until last September, the NDP and the Liberals had a supply-and-confidence agreement that saw them work together in exchange for progress in key priority areas.
Some New Democrats, including Mr. Cullen, say Mr. Singh’s federal political legacy is tied to how he pushed the Liberal government to create a dental-care program, along with pharmacare legislation.
When the pharmacare bill received royal assent last fall, bilateral negotiations began with provinces and territories.
Prior to the election campaign, Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and the Yukon reached pharmacare agreements designed to provide public coverage for some diabetes medications and supplies, along with contraceptives.
The Liberals plan to pursue additional deals with other jurisdictions.