NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has suggested that he might continue to flip-flop on whether he’ll continue to prop the Liberals up in Parliament or support a non-confidence motion.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Singh hinted he might support the Liberals’ work relief program instead of a non-confidence vote.
Singh said that the tariffs proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to be put on Canadian goods on Feb. 1 would be devastating for the country. The 25% tariff would apply to all Canadian imports.
However, Singh said he hasn’t had any discussions with opposition or government leaders.
“If there is any desire to move forward, the government should call us together like we did during Covid and discuss a plan that supports workers,” he said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the U.S. plans to implement tariffs on Canada on Feb. 1.
Singh previously announced he would put forward a non-confidence motion to trigger an election in the next parliamentary setting. The announcement followed Singh retracting his support for the Liberals’ carbon tax, which itself followed Singh announcing he would end his party’s coalition with the Liberals.
Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer previously highlighted that the threat of tariffs could have been avoided altogether if Singh’s ripping up of the supply-and-confidence agreement was not directly followed by his propping up the Liberals in the House of Commons.
Deputy House leader Luc Berthold made a similar criticism.
“There’s no doubt that if Jagmeet Singh had done so earlier this fall, if he had backed up his words with action, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” said Berthold. “But unfortunately, he wanted to wait until February for his pension. He’s got it now. He was ready to vote for our (non-) confidence. Justin Trudeau has found a way out, and unfortunately, it’s Canadians who are going to pay the price.”
Following Singh “ripping up” the support agreement with the Liberals, he voted confidence in Trudeau 11 times. Since the 2021 election, the NDP has voted confidence in the government 286 times.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, similarly asked how he would respond to a bailout package proposal from the Liberals, said he would not fall for any bailout “tricks.”
“If the Liberals want things to become clear and want to help people, they should simply start the election sooner,” said Blanchet. “Nothing prevents Mr. Carney or Mrs. Freeland, once this person is selected as the leader of the Liberals, to say on Mar. 10 that we are going into this election.”
The next Liberal leader (who will become Canada’s next prime minister) will be selected following the party election on Mar. 9.