Trudeau vows to avoid early election after NDP breaks agreement

Toronto: Hours after the New Democratic Party (NDP) pulled out from an agreement it had with the ruling Liberal Party Government, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stressed he does not want an early election and indicated he will seek to work with his former partner.

Speaking to the media in the town of Rocky Harbour in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Trudeau said, “I look forward to conversations with Mr (Jagmeet) Singh about how we’re going to continue to demonstrate that confident countries invest in their citizens, invest in their future, because that’s what we’re doing.” That statement just hours after Jagmeet Singh announced his party was withdrawing from the Supply and Confidence Agreement, which had been in place since March 2022.

“I’ll let others focus on politics, but I will point out that I really hope the NDP stays focused on how we can deliver for Canadians, as we have over the last years, rather than focusing on politics,” Trudeau added.

With Trudeau’s party in a minority in the House of Commons, the opposition Conservative Party is already seeking to force an election at the earliest, with a potential no confidence motion when the House of Commons meets for its session beginning on September 18.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre told reports in Nanaimo, British Columbia, that the date for such a motion was undecided, as he said, “Right now, we don’t have a calendar to indicate when we can put forward a motion.”

However, he placed more pressure on the NDP, as he said, “After Sellout Singh did this stunt today, he is going to have to vote on whether he keeps Justin Trudeau’s costly Government in power.”

Trudeau was hopeful that snap elections can be averted, as he said, “I certainly hope that the NDP will stay true to its fundamental values, which is making sure that Canadians get the support they need and keeping away the austerity the cuts and the damage that will be done by Conservatives if they get the chance.”

Federal elections in Canada are scheduled for October 2025, but with just 154 MPs, Trudeau’s Liberals are in a minority in the 338-member House. Till Wednesday morning, it had survived with the support of the 25-strong NDP caucus.

In a video message posted on Wednesday, Singh said he had “ripped up” the agreement, adding, “Canadians are fighting a battle.  A battle for the future of the middle class.  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.”

The announcement came at a time when the Trudeau Government is extremely unpopular and that disfavour rubbed on to the NDP. According to a survey released by the non-profit public polling agency Angus Reid Institute or ARI, the Conservatives enjoy 43 per cent support, a hefty 22 per cent advantage over the ruling party.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.