NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is ruling out the possibility of forming a coalition government with the Liberals if no party wins a clear majority after the next federal election.
"That's off the table," Singh said in a year-end interview with The Canadian Press, even though the two parties have been working closely together.
"That's not something that we're focused on. We're focused on getting enough done in this Parliament and then running to win."
The two parties signed a deal in March 2022 in which the NDP agreed to support the minority Liberals on key votes in Parliament in exchange for action on NDP policy priorities.
The collaboration has so far led to the introduction of a national dental-care program, one-time rental supplements for low-income tenants, a temporary doubling of the GST rebate, legislation banning replacement workers and investments toward a for-Indigenous-by-Indigenous housing strategy.
The parties agreed to keep their agreement in place until 2025, with a federal election slated to take place by October of that year.
Singh said the agreement gave him the chance to see the Liberals up close, and to see how much power the federal government has to make life better for Canadians.
"And I can say with a lot of clarity that they could be doing a lot more to help people," Singh said.
"I'm more motivated than ever before that I want to become the next prime minister. That's my goal."
Polls currently place the Opposition Conservatives within majority territory, and with a minority Parliament in place, the next election could theoretically happen any time.
However, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has indicated he sees no reason for that.
He told The Canadian Press earlier this month that the next campaign will follow the fixed-election date schedule and take place in the fall of 2025.
Trudeau said he hasn't spoken to the New Democrats about possibly forming a coalition government post-election, because they're focused on the now.
"What may be, might come into a calculation post-election, well listen, let's let Canadians decide what kind of Parliament they want to elect in two years and then we'll see," Trudeau said when asked about whether a bigger partnership is in the cards.
"We've demonstrated that we can get good things done and maintain a very fiscally responsible frame," he added.
He added that's something "people will take note of, I'm sure, for decades to come as being something that has been demonstrated to be very effective in Canadian politics."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2023.
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Funny, Jagmeet Singh lists
Funny, Jagmeet Singh lists the not insignificant accomplishments he was able to do with Justin Trudeau in one breath, but then goes on to knock him for not doing enough. All that without admitting neither of them would have accomplished much at all without the current Lib-Dem agreement.
He then goes on to state he wants to be Prime Minister more than anything and therein states he is against a coalition. Is that not borderline arrogance, especially in the context of Trudeau's conciliatory comments about those shared accomplishments?
Perhaps it's all politically calculated noise made with an eye on the polls, but Singh, accompanied by certain recent NDP actions, cannot afford to be perceived as carving out a larger slot for himself in the absence of cooperation and concensus.
To set it straight, there has never been a true coalition in Canada (WWII excepted?) A Lib-Dem coalition would have the NDP occupying actual government cabinet positions, something they've never experienced before at the federal level. As critics with an agreement with the government, they can easily state their policy requirements then sit back and relax and let Trudeau et al do all the work. As cabinet ministers they'd have far more serious responsibilities and much larger workloads and would have to become more flexible to get anything done.
In the view of the majority of the middle ground and progressive electorate, that would better than any other scenario presented so far.
Exactly so but it's also
Exactly so but it's also easier to be the critic in the wings and forever holier-than-thou.
Hence that view of the NDP as preferring martyrdom, i.e. being "addicted to defeat" that was floated here in Alberta after the NDP lost the election that should have been theirs to lose.
Because that attitude smacks of religion, it's why I have always preferred the truly liberal/Liberal view. When we lived on the island, I recall a Liberal candidate at a house party saying that he got tired of having to "dress down" and so switched to the Liberal Party.
In his case he chose wrong mind you, and guys like Eby and Kinew come off as real leaders for change and for the times, which is what we so desperately need!
Note that David Eby and Wab
Note that David Eby and Wab Kinew are quietly accomplishing a lot of good stuff. They don't need to make unnecesdary noise or declare war on the feds to be effective leaders, but will criticize when it's needed on particular issues.
Their work is based on their respective government's original ideas, and they don't pretend to speak for other provinces by projecting biases against confederation onto jurisdictions outside of their own boundaries.
They don't claim to speak for the "West" although they govern half of the West's territory, though both have every right to speak to the historical injustice perpetrated on Indigenous people throughout the nation, both either as a human rights lawyer or as an articulate Aboriginal.
One day a member of the
One day a member of the clergy and a politician find themselves standing together in front of the Pearly Gates.
When the Gates open an angel welcomes them into Heaven and guides them to their respective accommodations.
The clergy is led to a small room with plain wooden furniture, a bed and a table with a tin cup on top.
The politician is guided down the golden street to a palatial gated mansion, and his breath is taken away with the chandeliers, the guilt furniture, the stone floors the paintings by masters on the walls, and ornate rugs.
The politician turns to the angel and asks, Why am I to live in a mansion when millions of clergy who came before have to live so modestly?
The angel says, Simple. You are the first politician who was ever let into Heaven.
***
An interlude read recently online amongst the incessant chatter about wars, financial collapse, environmental degradation and Trump's adult diapers.
So Jagmeet's been able to
So Jagmeet's been able to "see the Liberals up close" eh?
That's one of the problems I have with his attitude, and that of the NDP generally, is that fixed too "tribal" view of the "too slick" Liberals as basic enemies of the people DESPITE them being not only willing co-signatories of this invaluable agreement, but probably the originators of it. Being unwilling to give credit where it's due is the right wing's domain, so this is not a good look at all.
It's totally disingenuous (and arrogant) on Jagmeet's part to act like he OR the NDP could possibly win federally at this point and under these circumstances while simultaneously downplaying what are their/our substantial, strategic wins provincially.
Clearly the most effective way of beating back the cons is, lo and behold, via a "coalition" on the left. You know, like the dumb right wing has mostly done? Aren't we supposed to be the smart ones as well as the kind ones?
Look at David Eby and Wab Kinew right now, forming an impressive duo of Canada-style progressivism that will make the conservative premiers in Alberta and Saskatchewan look like the plodding dullards they are. What's not to like?
We all remember how Jack Layton ultimately ushered in Stephen Harper and how Tom Mulcair skewed conservative at the last moment to "win."
Egos and narcissism aside boys, it's a pure indulgence we can no longer afford.
Quote from Trudeau: "We've
Quote from Trudeau: "We've demonstrated that we can get good things done and maintain a very fiscally responsible frame,".
Wow!
Such Johnsonian wisdom and insight! (Boris, that is).
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