Former NDP Leader Ed Broadbent and Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound candidate Chris Stephen (Photo by Kirk Scott)Former NDP Leader Ed Broadbent and Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound candidate Chris Stephen (Photo by Kirk Scott)
Midwestern

Chesley-area man will represent NDP in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound

A Chesley-area man will represent the NDP in the coming federal election. Chris Stephen was acclaimed at a Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound NDP nomination meeting in Owen Sound.

Former NDP leader and Canadian political legend Ed Broadbent was guest speaker at the meeting. His presentation was in an interview style with journalist Michael Valpy.

Broadbent says inequality is plaguing the country. He makes a distinction between left wing and right wing populism. Left wing populism proposes solutions, right wing populism relies on slogans. Broadbent says it's the left leaning NDP's policies that can help the average Canadian.

"It's the taking of a stand on behalf of the common person against elites who have had too much sway in getting economic policy in particular to their advantage to the disadvantage to average and low income people," said Broadbent in an interview after the meeting.

Broadbent says national NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is hampered because he's still relatively unknown among Canadians. He says the media's obsession with the two main parties are partly responsible for that.

Broadbent says there's no reason why the NDP can't win the Bruce Grey Owen Sound riding in the coming election.

The NDP candidate Chris Stephen works for the Municipality of Arran-Elderslie. He admits he'll be an underdog in the election but says his campaign team is ready to put in the work to win. He believes in the principles of the NDP.

"The NDP is the only party I've ever found, when I hear them speak, they talk to working people, sticking up for working people, sticking up for families. They're the ones I most identify with as a worker," said Stephen.

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