OTTAWA—The task ahead is undeniably formidable. A rookie on the federal scene, who does not hold a seat in Parliament and is untested with the reins of partisan leadership, has embarked on a quest to bring New Democrats to power in Ottawa for the first time in Canadian history.

Not only that — he’s up against a self-avowed progressive prime minister who preaches taxes on the rich and the urgent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, who may not have changed the voting system but is legalizing marijuana.

Can Jagmeet Singh, the NDP’s fresh new leader, fight Justin Trudeau for the left half of the political spectrum — and win?

For David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, Singh, who’s 38, represents a solid threat to Trudeau and his Liberal majority. Singh’s youthful mode of speech, adherence to left-wing orthodoxy on most issues, and his proven ability to generate buzz could make him a contender for a wide demographic of voters who flocked to the Liberals under Trudeau in 2015, Coletto said.

“When you think of the voters that both of these parties really need to do well, and that’s younger voters, I think Jagmeet Singh has the opportunity to really compete,” Coletto said.

“I look at him as someone who is probably going to be the greatest threat to the Liberals and that coalition they’ve put together that was anchored by millennials.”

Of course, actually drawing them into the NDP isn’t going to be automatic. But a key part of Singh’s pitch to New Democrats throughout the leadership campaign was his promise to widen the appeal of the party into corners of Canada where it has not traditionally succeeded.

His own electoral story is a testament to this. Singh is quick to point out he started his political career by winning a seat in Brampton, a suburban city outside Toronto where the NDP had long been an afterthought.

His leadership campaign also claimed to have signed up 47,000 new members during the race. That means more than a third of the total NDP membership was brought in by Singh after he entered the leadership contest in May.

“Look at what we’ve been able to accomplish in a few short months,” Singh said Sunday during his victory speech. “Now imagine what we can build together, all of us together, in two years.”

Singh was on Parliament Hill Monday, serving up a charm offensive as he met with reporters. “I don’t know how you do this. Who do you choose?” Singh said with a laugh, as he faced a barrage of questions in the Commons’ foyer.

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New NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he plans to fight for the issues New Democrats care about, such as income inequality and electoral reform. Singh won the leadership in a first ballot victory on Oct. 1 in Toronto. (The Canadian Pre

He gave an aw-shucks accounting of a phone call with Trudeau Sunday night, who called to congratulate him on the leadership win.

“If I was a kid and you told me that in 30 years, I’d get a call from the prime minister, I would have told you, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ So it was pretty cool. I’m not going to lie,” Singh said.

He said that Trudeau was “very gentle and welcoming,” and advised him to “stay in touch with the people who brought you where you are, the grassroots.”

He also talked with outgoing NDP leader Thomas Mulcair who told him that one of the most important things was to “‘enjoy the journey.’ I will definitely make sure that is one of my top priorities.”

Singh said he had begun the process to resign his seat at Queen’s Park. And he reiterated his plan, at least for now, not to rush into seeking a federal seat, though there are vacancies in Toronto and Newfoundland and Labrador.

“I’m comfortable right now with the fact that I don’t a seat,” Singh said, citing the example of past NDP leader Jack Layton who delayed his own bid for a Commons seat to spend time “getting to know the issues that matter to Canadians and spending time with Canadians.”

“I’m open to hearing suggestions and counsel on this so I haven’t made a decision,” said Singh.

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As to where he ultimately decides to run, Singh said it’s important to have an “authentic” connection to the riding, noting his past time spent living in St. John’s, Windsor and the Greater Toronto Area.

That work outside the Commons will be important for Singh as the NDP looks to win back supporters in the run-up to the 2019 election.

Many observers have pointed out that the social democratic party is in debt and well-behind the Liberals and Conservatives in fundraising this year (the NDP raised less than $1.8 million in the first half of 2017, while the Liberals raked in almost $6 million and the Tories received more than $8 million, according to Elections Canada).

The newly minted leader of the federal NDP says he’s “comfortable” with not yet having a seat in the House of Commons. Jagmeet Singh spoke to reporters on Parliament Hill Monday. (The Canadian Press)

Brad Lavigne, a long-time NDP insider who spearheaded the 2011 “Orange Wave” campaign under Layton, said the new leader has proven he can pull in donors and supporters. He said he’s confident the party will unite behind Singh as they pivot toward the next election.

“Looking at Jagmeet’s organizational capacity in this leadership alone, I know that we’re going to be ready to go for 2019,” said Lavigne, who supported Singh during the leadership race.

Money aside, the biggest battleground for that coming challenge will be fighting for votes with the Liberals, Coletto said.

Singh laid the groundwork for his assault on this front Sunday, when he accused the Trudeau government of essentially lying to Canadians about their intention to run a progressive regime in Ottawa.

Singh told the Star it will be “easy” to paint this picture for Canadians, pointing to perceived government failures on Indigenous reconciliation, electoral reform, climate change, housing policy and more.

Coletto’s firm, Abacus Data, released a study in August that asked 2,000 Canadians a series of questions about how they perceive the major political parties. It found that most Canadians associate the Liberals and the NDP with similar values, including “cares about the environment,” “treat men and women equally” and “proud of Canada.”

The overlap in perception means differentiating his party from the Liberals will be a top job for Singh — the first leader of a major federal party who is not white — as he takes over the NDP, Coletto said.

And on this score, Singh is already pointing to his desire for more aggressive cuts to greenhouse gas emissions (he wants to hit the Liberals’ target five years quicker, by 2025). The former defence lawyer is also talking about “fundamental” changes to the justice system. This includes his proposed federal ban on racial profiling — ostensibly aimed at the RCMP to prevent racial discrimination by police — and his call to decriminalize all drugs.

“If you look at people who are criminalized for personal possession . . . these are people who are often faced with mental health issues, addictions and are poor,” he told the Star on Sunday.

“Our current strategy is not working. It’s not reducing harm. It’s not actually helping people out,” he continued, adding he would like a system similar to Portugal’s, where resources are devoted to rehabilitation and treatment rather than law enforcement for possession convictions.

He slammed the Liberals for not decriminalizing marijuana as they prepare to legalize the drug next summer, hinting that this is another policy where he’ll be different — and more left-leaning — than Trudeau in the next election.

It’s impossible to say how that will play out. In Coletto’s mind, at the very least, Singh presents an undeniable shift in style and leadership for New Democrats.

“I’m not going to make normative statements about whether he is cooler (than the other leadership candidates) or not, but I think you can easily say that Jagmeet Singh is cooler than Tom Mulcair, on most objective measures,” he said.

Now it’s time to see how he matches up with Trudeau.

With files from Bruce Campion-Smith

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