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Photo by Nathan Denette/CP

The ad builds on a message Singh delivered during his campaign launch in May, where he also drew a parallel between his family’s experience as part of a cultural and linguistic minority — his parents were immigrants from the Indian state of Punjab — and that of Quebecers.

It’s a wise but risky approach, said Steve Moran, a representative of the NDP federal executive in Quebec and NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair’s former deputy chief of staff.

This isn’t the first time Moran’s heard Sikh Canadians compare their experiences as a minority to that of Quebecers. But there’s no guarantee Quebecers will see things the same way, he said.

The ad was meant to help Quebecers connect to the Brampton MPP and feel they can get to know him personally, said a source with Singh’s team in Quebec, who added that Singh speaks French regularly with the team and is working with a French teacher.

Photo by Chris Roussakis/Postmedia

Though Singh is relatively well known in his home province as the former deputy leader of the Ontario NDP, he faces an “uphill battle” in Quebec, where he’s still an unknown, said Karl Bélanger, Mulcair’s former principal secretary.

“There haven’t been many front-page stories about the race since his arrival,” said Bélanger, who is not affiliated with any of the leadership candidates. He believes Singh is the least-known in Quebec of the five NDP candidates, partly because he’s the only one who hasn’t served federally.

Some observers of the race have wondered what effect Singh’s religion will have on his chances in Quebec, where there is strong opposition in some quarters to public officials wearing religious symbols and garments.