NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to visit N.W.T. for 1st time

The leader of the federal NDP will be visiting the Northwest Territories on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Jagmeet Singh will be meeting with local leaders and community groups during his two-day visit which starts Tuesday, said Shane Pike, president of the Northwest Territories federal NDP.

In a news release Monday, the NDP said Singh will meet with Tłı̨chǫ Region Chiefs on Tuesday afternoon. He'll then visit the Yellowknife's Farmers Market at Somba K'e Civic Plaza. At 6:15 p.m., Singh will host a meet and greet at Yellowknife's Rotary Centennial Park. 

The politician is expected to discuss the increasing cost of living. As well, Pike said Singh will likely raise the health-care crisis during his visit, and he'll also have a meeting with Premier Caroline Cochrane about the issue. 

"I expect he will call on the federal government to increase transfer payments to the provinces and territories so that they can address the shortcomings and the capacity issues to be able to deliver health-care and make it readily available to people who need it," Pike said.

It will be Singh's first visit to the N.W.T. The last time a federal NDP leader visited the N.W.T. was in 2013 when Tom Mulcair was leading the party, Pike said.

"We have tried to get Jagmeet up here earlier," Pike said, adding, "logistically, that's been difficult in the last couple of years with COVID."

Pike said Singh will spend one day in Yellowknife and the other in Behchokǫ̀.

"This tour is primarily a listening tour. He wants to get acquainted with the people from the Northwest Territories and learn what the issues are," Pike said.

"Jagmeet wants to hear from N.W.T. residents. He wants to understand what their issues are and what their ideas are, and how to fix some of the challenges that they're faced with."

Pike said Singh will also be visiting the Yukon.