The leader of the federal New Democrats is confident as former Federation of Labour president Mary Shortall takes the NDP nomination for the St. John’s East riding.

Jagmeet Singh is in the province over the next few days touring the area with Shortall—who earlier this year was named as his special advisor for the province.

When a federal election does happen, it looks as though Shortall will be going up against Liberal Joanne Thompson, the person who beat her in the 2021 race for the seat.

The riding has flipped between the two parties in the last few elections.

NDP Jack Harris held the seat from 2008 to 2015, when he lost it to Liberal Nick Whalen. However, Harris would win back the seat in the 2019 election before making the decision to retire. The riding went red once again in the 2021 election with Thompson’s victory.

Singh attributes his confience in the NDP for that riding to their track record thus far.

“Without us, the Liberals have nothing to show,” says Singh. He notes that the Liberals tout the dental care plan and doubling the GST rebate as as their victories, but he says those items happened because of the NDP.

Singh’s tour continues today. He and Shortall will speak to media at 12:30 about high grocery costs outside the Quidi Vidi Dominion.