Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh visits striking educational support staff in Edmonton

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was in Edmonton Wednesday visiting educational support staff on strike.

Outside Ross Sheppard High School northwest of downtown, the party leader made his pitch to voters ahead of the pending federal election.

“Let’s build a massive infrastructure project that connects energy across the country that’s cheap, that’s affordable, that’s low-cost and clean, and let’s build a strong economy that way,” said Singh.

Singh is not committing to building more oil pipelines.

CityNews asked the NDP Leader about the push to get Alberta oil to other markets, as tensions grow between Canada and the U.S.

“It’s got to, obviously, meet our environmental needs, and it’s got to respect Indigenous rights,” said Singh.

Lori Williams, a political scientist at Mount Royal University says Singh’s pitch for alternative energy projects likely won’t win over many voters in this province.

“That’s a tougher sell in Alberta,” said Williams.

But between the Liberal leadership race and the threats from the U.S., she feels Singh is having a hard time getting airtime, using the school strikes to elevate his party.

“He’s hoping to get some coverage and some support as he tries to build momentum going into the next election,” said Williams.

There’s no official date for the federal election, but it is expected Canadians will head to the polls sometime between April and October.