By Barry Ellsworth
TRENTON, Canada (AA) - The New Democrat Party (NDP) on Wednesday ripped up a deal that propped up Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s minority government, opening the door to early elections.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh made the surprise announcement via a video on X.
“Today I notified the prime minister that I have ripped up the Supply and Confidence Agreement,” Singh said in the video. “The Liberals have let people down. They don’t deserve another chance from Canadians.”
The agreement signed in March 2022, was set to expire in June 2025, when a federal election was due. It allowed the minority Liberals to govern without fear of a non-confidence vote, forcing an election. In turn, the Liberals pledged to support NDP programs
But while the deal kept Trudeau and the Liberals in power, it was dependent on instituting programs championed by the NDP. Programs such as dental care for seniors were enacted, but Singh said Trudeau has not done enough for Canadians.
“Justin Trudeau has proven time and again he will always cave to corporate greed,” he said.
Trudeau was holding a news conference on the National Food School Program in Newfoundland and Labrador when a reporter asked how he felt about the announcement by the NDP.
Trudeau responded that he was not “focused on politics” but on programs Canadians care about, like the school food program and cheaper daycare for children.
The termination of the agreement comes at a time when the Liberals are far behind in polls, while Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party has surged. Singh said the Liberals cannot beat the Conservatives in an election, but his party can do just that.
“They (Liberals) cannot stop the Conservatives but we can,” Singh said in the video.