NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh began 2024 by propping up Prime Minister Justin Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 minority government. He is ending the year calling for Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 resignation.
Singh91裸聊视频檚 gradual effort to limit his alliance with the Liberals hastened this week after Trudeau91裸聊视频檚 finance minister quit, plunging the government into more political chaos and raising questions about whether Trudeau can even stay on as prime minister much longer.
But Singh is still not putting any kind of timeline on when his party will join the Conservatives and Bloc Qu茅b茅cois to defeat the government and trigger an election.
After Chrystia Freeland91裸聊视频檚 sudden departure 91裸聊视频� a move blamed entirely on Trudeau who told her she would be replaced as finance minister 91裸聊视频� Singh said it is time for Trudeau to resign. But when asked if that means his party will vote non-confidence in the government at the next opportunity, he said only 91裸聊视频渁ll options are on the table.91裸聊视频�
The Canadian Press sat down with Singh for a year end interview on Dec. 10, before Freeland91裸聊视频檚 resignation changed the course of Canadian politics. In the conversation he laid out his thinking about why he has supported the Liberals to date, and what happens next.
91裸聊视频淭he choice in the next election is going to come down to the Liberals have let people down, people don91裸聊视频檛 want to give them another chance, so it91裸聊视频檚 going to be between Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives, who want to cut the things you need, or new Democrats who want to make your life more affordable. That choice is going to be real,91裸聊视频� Singh said.
The supply and confidence agreement Singh made with Trudeau in 2022 was to see the NDP support the Liberals on key votes in exchange for the Liberals acting on NDP priorities like dental care and pharmacare.
Singh pulled the NDP out of that deal in September saying that the Liberals are 91裸聊视频渢oo beholden to corporate interests91裸聊视频� after ordering binding arbitration in rail and airline job action over the summer. But the NDP has since supported the Liberals through three non-confidence votes initiated by the Conservatives.
Each decision is weighed on a vote-by-vote basis, according to Singh, who said he considers the same thing each time a confidence question comes before the House.
91裸聊视频淚 think about the people in this country, and I think about how I can do as much as possible as I91裸聊视频檓 in the position I am to help them out. That91裸聊视频檚 like my No. 1 question,91裸聊视频� Singh said.
91裸聊视频淲ill this help people? Will this make their life better? Will it make their life more affordable? These are the things that drive me. How do I use a position I91裸聊视频檝e been honoured with to give people a break, to give people some help? That91裸聊视频檚 my focus.91裸聊视频�
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been pressuring Singh to join him in bringing down the government for most of the fall. The day after Freeland91裸聊视频檚 departure from cabinet Poilievre repeated that call, asking Singh to vote non-confidence 91裸聊视频渁s soon as legally possible.91裸聊视频�
Poilievre has a commanding lead in public opinion polls, which have placed the Conservatives a solid 20 points ahead of both the Liberals and the NDP for much of the year.
Singh is not naive to this fact, telling NDP staffers from across the country last month that they are in for a tough fight next year whenever the election happens. By law it has to be before the end of October 2025, but could happen earlier if opposition parties vote the government down in the House of Commons.
A Dec. 17 poll from Abacus Data suggests the NDP do enjoy more support than the Liberals outside of Ontario and Quebec.
Part of this fight will include trying to break through Conservative rhetoric linking the NDP to the Liberals due to the supply and confidence agreement, and NDP support for the governing party in the months after.
Despite those things, Singh does not think people too closely associate his party with the Liberals.
91裸聊视频淚 think people get the difference, as much as Conservatives want to lie,91裸聊视频� Singh said.
91裸聊视频�(The Liberals) had the power of government. What we did is we used the power that we had to force them to do things, to get things done for people. We91裸聊视频檙e going to continue to do that,91裸聊视频� Singh said.
One of the final planks in the now torn up supply and confidence agreement was the passage of legislation to establish a single-payer pharmacare system.
The version that received royal assent earlier this year promises to cover most diabetes medication and contraceptives, but first provinces need to negotiate deals with Ottawa.
91裸聊视频淪o, we91裸聊视频檝e seen some interest and provinces are pretty close to signing deals, like B.C. is just about there, Manitoba is showing interest. We know there91裸聊视频檚 some Atlantic provinces. I want to see as many provinces as possible get this benefit so people are living better with this help,91裸聊视频� Singh said.
Poilievre has called the pharmacare idea 91裸聊视频渞adical91裸聊视频� and said it would prevent people from using their private drug plans.
When asked if he is holding off on triggering an election until at least some deals are in place, the NDP leader went on the offensive.
91裸聊视频淚 think Poilievre has been really clear, and this is a choice that people have to make. He wants to cut pharmacare. He doesn91裸聊视频檛 want people to get free birth control. He doesn91裸聊视频檛 want people to get free diabetes medication. He doesn91裸聊视频檛 think they91裸聊视频檙e worth it. I think those people are worth it,91裸聊视频� Singh said.
The current domestic political turmoil is being spurred by an even greater threat to Canada from south of the border: president-elect Donald Trump91裸聊视频檚 promised 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods.
Originally this threat was made based on Trump91裸聊视频檚 musings about illegal immigration and drug trafficking at the northern border, but Trump has since suggested the United States is 91裸聊视频渟ubsidizing91裸聊视频� Canada when it comes to trade.
Trump has taken to referring to the prime minister as 91裸聊视频淕overnor Trudeau91裸聊视频� of 91裸聊视频渢he 51st state.91裸聊视频�
While the Canadian government has not overtly promised retaliatory tariffs, Freeland said premiers have suggested some options, including duties on critical minerals after her last meeting with them.
Singh firmly believes Canada should enact retaliatory tariffs, as it did in the last Trump presidency when Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. Singh calls Trump91裸聊视频檚 tactics 91裸聊视频渆conomic bullying.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲e need to make sure that they know there91裸聊视频檚 a cost to taking on Canada. It91裸聊视频檚 going to hurt their economy as much as it91裸聊视频檚 going to hurt us, so we have to be ready for that fight. We have to fight to protect Canadian jobs. We have to fight like hell and show that we91裸聊视频檙e serious about fighting. I think that91裸聊视频檚 the only way you can take on a bully,91裸聊视频� Singh said.
As Canada prepares for an increasingly confrontational geopolitical stage next year, 2024 has been characterized by increased security threats for politicians in Canada, including Singh himself.
Earlier this year, Singh had an altercation with a couple of protesters on Parliament Hill. This in part led to increased security on the precinct where access near West Block is restricted to the general public.
This is not unique to Ottawa, as MPs from all parties have reported an increase in threats and vandalism at constituency offices.
Entering public life is never without risk, but Singh says the current atmosphere is making it more difficult to find people willing to put their names forward.
Twenty of the NDP91裸聊视频檚 25 sitting MPs are currently intending to run again, but the party has nominated just 40 additional candidates. There will be 343 seats to fill in the House of Commons.
91裸聊视频淚 am worried about the climate of politics where you shouldn91裸聊视频檛 have to be ready to fight back against bullying and be ready to stand up to these kind of folks just to enter into the world of politics,91裸聊视频� Singh said.
91裸聊视频淚 think about particularly women, maybe some folks that might be a bit more marginalized or vulnerable, that we would benefit from them being elected and representing their communities but are nervous to get into politics because they feel it91裸聊视频檚 not safe because of the attacks and harassment.91裸聊视频�
While Singh said he91裸聊视频檒l leave security solutions to experts in that field, his solution for fellow politicians taps into the spirit of the holiday season. He says that while disagreement is healthy, it comes down to MPs to take a stand, tone down the rhetoric and say these kinds of threats and intimidation aren91裸聊视频檛 acceptable.
