End of the agreement between the NDP and the Liberal Party of Canada

Photo: Sean Kilpatrick The Canadian Press NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced Wednesday he is tearing up the support and confidence agreement with the Liberal Party of Canada that allowed Justin Trudeau’s minority government to stay in power until 2025.

The NDP leader made the announcement in a video posted online titled The deal is broken.

“Today I announced to the Prime Minister that I am ending our agreement. Justin Trudeau has proven time and time again that he bows to pressure from CEOs. He doesn’t deserve another chance,” he says.

In the two-minute video, Jagmeet Singh says the Liberals “can’t stop the Conservatives” of Pierre Poilievre, who have been leading in the polls for over a year.

The Conservative Party leads with 42 per cent of the national vote, well ahead of the Liberals (25 per cent) and the NDP, which also lags behind with 17 per cent.

The deal is broken.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

The Liberals are too weak, selfish and subservient to big business interests to take on the Conservatives.
But we can do it.
Big corporations and CEOs have had governments at their service.
Now it’s up to… pic.twitter.com/1L78pJvTUZ

— Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) September 4, 2024

The end of the deal won’t necessarily trigger a federal election this fall. The NDP says it will take a “vote-by-vote” approach when Parliament resumes.

The pressure had been mounting in recent weeks on the progressive leader to tear up his deal with the Liberals. Last week, Conservative Leader Poilievre challenged him again to bring down the government.

Signed in March 2022, the agreement ensured the Liberal minority government would have the support of NDP MPs in confidence votes, including the budget vote. In exchange, the LPC agreed to implement a list of NDP priorities, including a pharmacare bill and a national dental care plan.

Before his death this winter, former NDP leader Ed Broadbent said in an interview that the support and confidence agreement should have lasted one year rather than two, to allow time to distance itself from the Liberals ahead of the federal election, scheduled for 2025.

More details to follow.