In a significant political blow to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his key ally, Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), has withdrawn support for the minority Liberal government ahead of next year’s general election. The move could jeopardize Trudeau’s ability to counter the rising momentum of the opposition Conservatives, who are currently leading in the polls.
In a video message shared on social media, Singh criticized Trudeau for caving to corporate interests and claimed that the Liberals have failed to deliver for the people of Canada. He emphasized that the NDP would now focus on defeating the Conservatives, warning that their leader, Pierre Poilievre, would prioritize big corporations and the wealthy over Canadian families and young people.
The withdrawal of support follows a 2022 agreement between the Liberals and the NDP, which was intended to sustain Trudeau’s government until October next year. However, an NDP spokesperson confirmed that the decision to end the agreement had been under consideration for the past two weeks. Singh’s unexpected social media post reportedly surprised the Liberal Party.
Singh indicated that the NDP is prepared for an election and will consider voting non-confidence on each confidence measure in Parliament. In response, Trudeau stated that his government remains focused on addressing Canada’s affordability crisis and that he hopes the NDP will continue to prioritize delivering results for Canadians rather than focusing on politics.
The NDP had previously kept Trudeau’s government in power through a confidence-and-supply agreement, which saw the Liberals commit to key NDP priorities such as dental care benefits, rental supplements for low-income tenants, and an increased GST rebate. However, some of these promises have yet to be fulfilled.
