Gurratan Singh

Last updated

Satvir Kaur Lachhar
(m. 2018)
Gurratan Singh
Gurratan Singh at Labour Day Parade - 2014 (14921795080) (cropped).jpg
Singh in 2021
Member of Provincial Parliament for Brampton East
In office
June 7, 2018 May 3, 2022
Children1
Relatives Jagmeet Singh (brother)
ResidenceCanada
Alma mater McMaster University
York University
Occupation Corporate lobbyist

Gurratan Singh (born May 13, 1984) is a former Canadian politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2018 provincial election. [3] He represented the riding of Brampton East as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party. He was defeated in the 2022 Ontario general election. [4] Subsequently he joined the public affairs agency Crestview Strategies. [5]

Contents

Early life and education

Born on May 13, 1984, in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Singh is the brother of former federal New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh.

Singh holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and religious studies from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. [6]

Later, Singh attended Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in Toronto and graduated with the degree of Juris Doctor in 2010. [7]

Controversy

Singh ignited controversy days before the 2018 election when a photo of him holding a poster reading "Fuck the Police" in a 2006 Facebook post surfaced. NDP leader Andrea Horwath defended Singh and allowed Singh to remain a member of the NDP, saying "That's a sign that's despicable". "Gurratan has actually said so as well. He's very regretful that he held that sign a number of years ago." Horwath said that Singh is a different person now compared to when he held up that sign at a 2006 rally. "When I was 20 there's things I probably did that I regret," she said. "It's not on Facebook though, there wasn't Facebook when I was 20." "Gurratan Singh is a person that turned his life around. He went to law school. He now upholds the law in the justice system," Horwath added. "People make mistakes when they're young."

Singh issued a statement apologizing "unreservedly to police officers, their families and the policing community", saying he was "deeply ashamed" of his actions. "I deeply respect the sacrifices police officers make in service of justice and public safety, and realize the importance of community-building with officers," he said.

Then-premier Kathleen Wynne called a photo of Singh holding the sign a "very disturbing and divisive image." "As leaders, we all have to answer for the beliefs and the behaviour of our candidates," she said. "This is a very disturbing situation and Andrea Horwath is going to have to explain how she can continue to support a candidate in that position. I would not be able to support his candidacy." [8]

Electoral record

2022 Ontario general election : Brampton East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Conservative Hardeep Grewal 12,86944.32+10.82
New Democratic Gurratan Singh 9,01731.0515.87
Liberal Jannat Garewal6,13121.12+4.49
Green Jamaal Blackwood5571.92+0.56
New Blue Michael Bayer2951.02 
Ontario Party Paul Stark1670.58 
Total valid votes29,036100.0  
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots213
Turnout29,24936.35
Eligible voters79,559
Progressive Conservative gain from New Democratic Swing +13.34
Source(s)
  • "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023.
  • "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023.
2018 Ontario general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
New Democratic Gurratan Singh 18,06246.92–6.18
Progressive Conservative Sudeep Verma12,89633.50+19.57
Liberal Parminder Singh6,39816.62–14.29
Green Raquel Fronte5231.36–0.66
Libertarian Daniele Cerasoli4861.26N/A
Trillium Gurdeep Dhothar1300.34N/A
Total valid votes38,49599.34
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots2560.66
Turnout38,75151.67
Eligible voters75,002
New Democratic notional hold Swing –12.88
Source: Elections Ontario [9]

References