With his kirpan, a traditional Sikh sword, poking out of his blue pin-stripe blazer, Martin Singh used his speech to NDP voters to paint himself as the quintessential Canadian: different in many ways, but similar all the same. In the last of seven showcases Friday, the pharmacist from Musquodoboit Harbour, N.S., said his religious devotion […]

With his kirpan, a traditional Sikh sword, poking out of his blue pin-stripe blazer, Martin Singh used his speech to NDP voters to paint himself as the quintessential Canadian: different in many ways, but similar all the same.

In the last of seven showcases Friday, the pharmacist from Musquodoboit Harbour, N.S., said his religious devotion and military background, both unusual for an NDP candidate, paired well with his reputation as a family man and staunch environmentalist.
Singh, all but written off as a viable leadership candidate, then used his speech to settle any differences he may have with his rivals. He was fined $1,100 earlier this month for calling candidate Brian Topp a liar.

“I know I’ve made some of my opponents a little upset with me at times and I may not appear on the Christmas card list this year,” he said, “but I would like to say . . . to all the leadership candidates, despite our differences . . . any one of you would make fine leaders of our great party.”

He said the NDP must remain united to “stop Stephen Harper’s Conservative assault on Canadian values.” Once again Singh pushed his national pharmacare program, which would provide all Canadians with equal access to affordable medication. He talked about growing up with a pharmacist father, who sometimes gave out drugs to those who couldn’t pay. “There are some families who can’t afford to pay for their medication,” Singh said his father told him. “But their health is worth more to their family than a few dollars is worth to ours.”

Source ~ Josh Tapper, www.thestar.com