NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party still plans to vote to bring down the federal government as soon as possible, despite the Liberals looking for a leader, and the looming economic threat posed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“I’ve been really clear, and I remain clear, and I appreciate the opportunity to repeat it. We will be voting to bring down the government at the earliest opportunity,” Singh told CTV Power Play host Vassy Kapelos in an interview on Monday.
Singh’s comments came in response to being asked about behind-the-scenes chatter among some Liberals about the prospect striking a new deal with the NDP to stave off an election, as well as the potential economic uncertainty sparked by Trump’s threat of punishing tariffs.
The NDP leader says regardless of the shifting political dynamics, he believes the choice in the next election will still be between the NDP and the Conservatives, and he is “ready for that.”
The NDP propped up the minority Liberals for more than two and a half years as part of a supply-and-confidence agreement, exchanging support for progress on certain NDP-led policies.
In September, Singh announced he’d “ripped up” the agreement, contributing to what became a tumultuous fall sitting of Parliament.
Despite that, support from NDP MPs saved the Liberal government from falling on several confidence votes that followed.
Singh then announced in a letter posted to social media in late December — on the morning Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled his cabinet — that the NDP would vote to bring the government down sometime in 2025.
The pivot came just two days after Singh said he wouldn’t “box himself in” by committing to help bring down Trudeau’s government, citing concerns over Trump.
Parliament is currently prorogued — a move Trudeau made with the backing of the governor general on the same day he announced his imminent resignation as Liberal leader and prime minister — preventing any opportunity for the government to fall on a vote of non-confidence in the short-term.
The race to replace him is getting underway, with the official deadline for candidates to declare coming on Thursday. The winner is set to be chosen March 9.
Should the opening of the second session of the 44th Parliament take place as scheduled on March 24, following the Speech from the Throne, a series of confidence votes are expected in short order.
With the current “supply” cycle ending on March 26, it’s likely that the House of Commons will have to deal with a series of confidence votes within days.
You can watch Singh’s full interview on CTV Power Play with Vassy Kapelos in the video player at the top of this article.
With files from CTV News’ Rachel Aiello
