Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he remains focused on the priorities of Canadians after the NDP announced it was pulling out of the supply and confidence deal with his government.
“I am not focused on politics. I'll let other parties focus on politics. I am focused on actually delivering the things that Canadians told me this summer they need,” Trudeau said during a press conference in Newfoundland and Labrador on Sept. 4.
An hour before Trudeau was set to speak, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced his party was pulling out of its agreement keeping the Liberals in power. In a social media post, Singh said he was dropping out of the deal because the Liberal Party is “too beholden to corporate interests” to fight for Canadians’ interests.
The Liberals and NDP signed an agreement in March 2022 that saw the NDP support the government in confidence matters until June 2025. In exchange, the Liberals would support NDP priorities such as pharmacare and dental care.
When asked about the termination of the deal, Trudeau told reporters that when speaking with Canadians over the summer, “very few of them wanted to talk politics,” and were more interested in housing affordability and grocery prices.
“An election will come in the coming year, hopefully not till next fall, because in the meantime, we’re going to deliver for Canadians,” he said.
The prime minister said in the run-up to the next election, set to happen before October 2025, the Liberals would show a contrast to the federal Conservatives, which he accused of wanting to “cut the programs that Canadians are relying on to help them through this difficult time.”
