Singh, Dance rally NDP supporters in Winnipeg ahead of Elmwood-Transcona byelection

Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh spent Friday in Winnipeg to campaign for Leila Dance, the party's candidate in the Sept. 16 Elmwood-Transcona byelection.

Singh attended a short rally for Dance at White Spruce Park in the Peguis neighbourhood of Transcona over the noon hour and was slated to visit the First Nations pavilion at Folklorama with Dance.

The NDP have represented Elmwood-Transcona and its predecessor riding, Winnipeg-Transcona, during all but four years of the electoral district's 36-year existence. Conservative Lawrence Toet sat in the eastern Winnipeg seat from 2011 to 2015.

The NDP won the riding three times since, all with Daniel Blaikie as the candidate. His retirement from federal politics this year has emboldened the Conservatives, who nominated union member Colin Reynolds to compete against Dance.

On Friday, the United Steelworkers announced it has endorsed the NDP candidate, who said she remains bolstered by her own union support.

"I'm just happy for the union members that have come out, that have supported me, who have been volunteering day to day, who have been at my office helping, who've been making phone calls. Every bit helps," Dance said at White Spruce Park.

In the most recent federal election, the NDP beat their closest competition, the Conservatives, by more than 9,000 votes in the riding. 

There nonetheless remains some urgency for the left-of-centre party to win this byelection. In the next general election, expected in 2025, boundary changes will remove a handful of blocks in Winnipeg from Elmwood-Transcona and extend the riding's eastern boundary past the Red River Floodway to encompass the Dugald area of Springfield, which traditionally leans Conservative.

Singh dismissed the idea the NDP needs to win Elmwood-Transcona this year in order to establish Dance as an incumbent prior to the general election.

"Whether the boundary changes, however they change, whether they change or not, it doesn't change the fact that there's a real choice in front of Canadians," the NDP leader said, arguing his party cares more about average Canadians than the Conservatives or the governing Liberals.

Blaikie and Winnipeg Coun. Jason Schreyer (Elmwood-East Kildonan) attended Dance's noon-hour rally, which was pushed into White Spruce Park from an initial location along Philip Lee Drive after an area resident opened his garage and started blasting music by Motörhead at NDP supporters.

Winnipeg Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) tweeted Thursday that he is supporting Reynolds. A representative for the Conservative candidate did not respond to a CBC News request to shoot footage of Reynolds or interview him.

As of Friday, Reynolds and Dance were the only candidates registered with Elections Canada to run in the byelection, though the Liberals and Greens have stated their intention to field candidates of their own. Nominations close on Aug. 28.

Prior to Singh's appearance in Winnipeg, federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made their own summer visits to the Manitoba capital.