Singh ends Supply and Confidence Agreement with governing Liberals « Canada’s NDP
OTTAWA—NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has ended the Supply and Confidence Agreement signed with the Liberal government in 2022.
“The fact is, the Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests to fight for people,” Singh said in a video address to Canadians Wednesday. “They cannot stop the Conservatives. But we can.”
Singh laid out the coming choice Canadians will make, which he said will be between the Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives and their planned cuts—which he calls the greatest threat to middle class Canadians—and the hope and relief offered by the NDP.
Through the Supply and Confidence Agreement, the NDP has delivered free dental care for millions of Canadians and pharmacare legislation, which together represent the largest expansion of free Canadian health care in generations. Through the Agreement, the NDP also delivered the Early Learning and Child Care Act to lower the price of child care, and anti-scab and sustainable jobs legislation to protect workers. All of those measures were opposed by both Liberals and Conservatives until the NDP forced the Liberals to enact them.
The end of the Supply and Confidence Agreement does not automatically send voters to the polls—a majority of parliamentarians voting against the government on a confidence measure does. Singh said the NDP is ready for an election, and voting non-confidence will be on the table with each and every confidence measure.
TRANSCRIPT OF SINGH’S VIDEO ADDRESS TO CANADIANS:
“Today I notified the prime minister that I have ripped up the Supply and Confidence Agreement.
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.
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.
The fact is, the Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests to fight for people. They cannot be change, they cannot restore the hope, they cannot stop the Conservatives.
But we can.
In the next federal election, Canadians will choose between Pierre Poilievre’s callous cuts or hope. Hope that when we stand united, we win. That Canada’s middle class will once again thrive together.
In Canada, we take care of our neighbours. That’s who we are. I have embraced that value my whole life.
I am running for Prime Minister because together, we can and will stop Conservative Cuts. We can deliver relief and restore hope. Fix health care. Build homes you can afford. Stop price gouging.
It’s always impossible until it isn’t. It can’t be done until someone does it. If we’re together, nothing is impossible. And we won’t let them tell us it can’t be done.
Big corporations and wealthy CEOs have had their government. It’s the people’s time.”