Saint John — Just days after a heartfelt and sincere apology from Jagmeet Singh for not visiting New Brunswick before the election was called, New Brunswickers are now also apologizing to him for not losing any sleep over it in the first place.
The party’s leader — who until very recently had no candidates running in New Brunswick — said on Monday that not visiting the province until this week was a mistake. He apologized profusely again today to voters in Saint John while visiting the City Market.
“We’re absolutely taking New Brunswick seriously,” Singh said to a voter shopping for beard oil. “I’m really sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t get here earlier. I’m happy to be here.”
“Umm — yes. Ah, ya I mean don’t…ah, don’t worry about it,” replied the startled patron, who then shrugged with a puzzled look on his face after the NDP leader moved on.
When Singh apologized to another bewildered shopper, they replied, “I’m sorry, but do I know you? Have we met? Or, are you like a visitor from a cruise ship or something? What are you talking about?”
In fact, the only people in the market who seemed to recognize the leader were a small contingent of press members who had arrived with him.
When asked in a scrum why it took so long to visit New Brunswick, Singh was succinct.
“My mother taught me to not make excuses when apologizing,” he quipped. But the reporter came back with a followup question before he could move on.
“No, I mean that’s fine,” said the reporter. “But, I was asking for a reason you didn’t visit, not an excuse. Is it because the NDP in New Brunswick is deader than a highway raccoon with a tire track? So dead that the maggots are gagging? So dead you are polling in negative integers?”
“Thank you so much!” Singh exclaimed as he moved toward the door. While leaving the market, he said to a staffer, “Okay, this dumpster fire is out. Get me out of here.”