Jagmeet Singh makes case to new Alberta NDP leader amid party separation talks

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh suggested Thursday that breaking up the federal and provincial arms of the party would be a mistake.

Singh is reacting after newly elected Alberta NDP Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi said he intends to ask provincial party members if they want to separate from the federal party.

Party constitutions dictate that members of a provincial NDP are automatically members of the federal party.

Nenshi says every day he hears members in Alberta expressing their desire to separate themselves from Singh, who is heavily criticized in the Prairies for propping up the Liberal government through their confidence-and-supply-agreement.

Singh says he spoke with Nenshi following his win last weekend and told him the federal and Alberta NDP need to remain united in their goals to bring down conservatives.

He says the best way to achieve that goal is by being united, and that he made that very clear to Nenshi.