ottawa –
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has ruled out forming a coalition government with the Liberals if no party wins a majority after the next federal election.
“That was unexpected,” Singh said in a year-end interview with The Canadian Press, even though the two sides have worked closely together.
“That’s not what we’re focused on. We’re focused on doing well in this Congress and running for victory.”
The two parties signed an agreement in March 2022 in which the NDP agreed to support the minority Liberal Party in key parliamentary votes in exchange for action on the NDP’s policy priorities.
This cooperation has so far included the introduction of a national dental care program, a one-time rental subsidy for low-income tenants, a temporary doubling of the GST rebate, and legislation prohibiting investment in alternative workers and indigenous communities. This has led to the introduction of Indigenous Housing Strategies.
Both parties agreed to keep the agreement in place until 2025, with federal elections scheduled to be held by October of the same year.
Singh said the agreement gave him the opportunity to see the Liberal Party up close and see how much power the federal government has to improve the lives of Canadians.
“And what’s clear is that they could do more to help people,” Singh said.
“I’m more motivated than ever to be the next prime minister. That’s my goal.”
Opinion polls currently show the opposition Conservative Party within majority territory, and with a minority parliament in place, another election could theoretically be held at any time.
But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he sees no reason for that.
He told The Canadian Press earlier this month that the next election campaign would follow a fixed election date schedule and take place in the fall of 2025.
Prime Minister Trudeau said the New Democratic Party is focused on now and is not talking about the possibility of forming a coalition government after the election.
Asked whether a larger partnership was needed, Prime Minister Trudeau said: “We don’t know what’s going to happen after the election. Listen, I want Canadians to decide within two years what kind of parliament they want to elect. Let me have it, and you will understand.” in the card.
“We have proven that we can do good things and maintain a very fiscally responsible framework,” he added.
He added that this is “something that people will look to for decades to come as something that has proven to be very effective in Canadian politics.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2023.
