Jagmeet Singh

Jagmeet Singh (born January 2, 1979) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is Deputy Leader of the New Democratic Party and member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who was elected in 2011. He represents the riding of Bramalea—Gore—Malton.

Early Life and Education

Singh attended high school at the Detroit Country Day School, in Beverly Hills, Michigan, graduating in 1997. He obtained his B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Western Ontario in 2001 and his LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University in 2005. He was called to the Bar of the Law Society of Upper Canada in 2006. He speaks English, French and Punjabi.

Singh worked as a criminal defence lawyer at Pinkofsky's law firm, from 2007-2008, which at that time was one of the largest criminal defence law firms in Toronto. Singh would go on to open his own private practice serving the GTA with a focus on the Peel Region.

During his time as a lawyer he offered free legal rights seminars across Ontario and provided pro bono legal counsel for people and community organizations. In a Toronto Star article published January 9, 2012, Singh stated that his background in criminal defense contributed to his decision to enter politics, particularly his work advocating for the protection of Charter rights.