Our Bureau
Ottawa
In a major blow to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his key ally Jagmeet Singh’s New Democratic Party withdrew support from the Liberal Party putting Trudeau’s minority government at risk an year ahead of the next general elections, CBC News reported.
The party made the announcement in a video posted to social media Wednesday afternoon. The deal was scheduled to run until June 2025.
Jagmeet Singh, who helped Trudeau keep his minority government in power, attacked the Canadian PM for caving to “corporate greed” and claimed that the Liberals have “let people down.”
“Justin Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down. They don’t deserve another chance from Canadians,” Singh said in the video,” Singh said.
The deal struck between the two leaders in 2022 and scheduled to run until June 2025 ensured the survival of the minority Liberal government and was the “first such formal agreement between two parties at the federal level.” Trudeau first took office in November 2015.
Singh accused Trudeau of not being able to take on the opposition Conservatives, who polls indicate are set to easily win an election that must be held by end-October 2025.
“There is another, even bigger battle ahead. The threat of Pierre Poilievre and Conservative cuts. From workers, from retirees, from young people, from patients, from families — he will cut in order to give more to big corporations and wealthy CEOs,” he added.
In his first reaction to Singh withdrawing support, PM Trudeau said his government is more focused on tackling the issues of affordability crisis and climate change.
“These are the things that we’re focused on. I’ll let others focus on politics,” Trudeau said at an event in Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador. “I really hope the NDP stays focused on how we can deliver for Canadians, as we have over the past years, rather than focusing on politics.”
Trudeau further affirmed hope that the next election will not happen “until next fall” so that his government has time to move forward on pharmacare, dental care, and school food programmes.
Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called Singh’s announcement a “stunt” and criticized him for not saying whether he would vote non-confidence in the government, CBC News reported.
Poilievre called on Singh to commit to voting for an election at the earliest opportunity when the House of Commons returns.
Jagmeet Singh has also said that his party, the NDP is ready for an election.
In a media release accompanying his announcement, Singh said, “The NDP is ready for an election, and voting non-confidence will be on the table with each and every confidence measure.”
