Brampton North will have new MPP after NDP nomination battle

Lifelong Brampton resident Sandeep Singh, who’s been a marketing director at an immigration consultancy, has won the right to run for the Ontario New Democrats in Brampton North.

The Ontario NDP (ONDP) announced late Thursday night that members in the riding have selected Singh over the incumbent Kevin Yarde to be their candidate in the 2022 Ontario election. A virtual nomination meeting was held earlier in the evening. An ONDP media release described Singh as a “human rights advocate (who) has experience running a small business.”

Singh stated that his priorities include improved health care and the city’s notoriously high auto insurance rates as high-priority issues for Brampton voters. On the former count, Premier Doug Ford, whose Ontario PC Party will be trying to gain a new mandate in the June 2 election, was in Brampton this week to announce $21 million in hospital funding for upgrades to Brampton Civic and Peel Memorial.

“Brampton’s health care is hanging on by a thread, drivers are getting gouged by auto insurers, and families are getting squeezed by skyrocketing prices, for everything from housing to gas,” Singh. Families in Brampton deserve better than more broken Liberal promises and big cuts from Doug Ford’s Conservatives. We can change all this, and with (leader) Andrea Horwath’s New Democrats, we will. I look forward to continuing the good work Kevin Yarde has done in Brampton North.”

Singh ran for Town of Caledon council in 2018. He and his wife have three children, and he has volunteered for 15 & Fairness. He and his wife have three children.

Yarde, a former television weatherman, became the first Black member of provincial parliament in Peel Region when he was elected four years ago in 2018. Yarde was elected by just 497 votes, or a 1.26 per cent margin, over Ontario PC Party candidate Ripudaman Dhillon.

“I wish to thank Kevin Yarde for his years of service fighting for Brampton North,” Horwath stated. “I know Sandeep will carry on the NDP’s record of fighting for better for Brampton.”

I want to thank @KevinYardeMPP for everything he's done these last 4 years, fighting hard for folks in Brampton North and for a more affordable, equitable, just province for all.

He's been a strong voice in our caucus and he will always be an important part of our team. #ONpoli

— Andrea Horwath (@AndreaHorwath) April 8, 2022

The other three parties that have seats at Queen’s Park have already nominated candidates in the riding. Graham McGregor is running for the Ford-led Ontario PCs. Harinder Malhi is the Liberals’ candidate, and Aneep Dhade is running for the Green Party of Ontario.

Four years ago, Yarde was elected with 37.55 per cent support, followed by the PCs’ Dhillion (36.29) and the Liberals’ Malhi (21.22). The Green party candidate, Pauline Thornham, received 3.45 per cent.

The NDP won three of five seats in Brampton in 2018. The Ontario PCs won the other two.