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㽶ƵֱTough conversations㽶Ƶֱ: NDP retreat to shine spotlight on deal with Liberals

Deal supposed to last until June, but Liberal rail dispute action raising questions about its future
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NDP MP for Hamilton Centre Matthew Green rises during Question Period in Ottawa on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

The NDP㽶Ƶֱs supply and confidence deal with the Liberals in Ottawa will get heavy scrutiny when leader Jagmeet Singh meets with his caucus in Montreal next week, with the Liberals㽶Ƶֱ decision last month to force binding arbitration to end a work stoppage at the country㽶Ƶֱs major railroads potentially triggering the end of the pact.

Liberal House Leader Karina Gould insisted last week that the deal will last until its planned end point next June. However NDP labour critic Matthew Green says the NDP has been re-evaluating the deal after Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to impose binding arbitration less than 24 hours after Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National Railway locked out their workers after failing to reach a contract deal at the bargaining table.

Singh called it 㽶Ƶֱa line in the sand that was crossed.㽶Ƶֱ

It㽶Ƶֱs now clear the future of the agreement will be front and centre when NDP members of Parliament meet in Montreal to plan their fall strategy before the House of Commons resumes on Sept. 16.

㽶ƵֱWhen it comes to our caucus retreat there㽶Ƶֱs going to be some tough conversations around the table about the future of that agreement and about the needs of Canadians in a move forward basis,㽶Ƶֱ said Green in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Green said as Canada㽶Ƶֱs only labour party the NDP has a responsibility to take 㽶Ƶֱbold steps㽶Ƶֱ to ensure there㽶Ƶֱs support for workers and their families, and others who are 㽶Ƶֱstruggling in this economy.㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱEverything is on the table. And I would aggressively say everything is on the table.㽶Ƶֱ

Singh and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau forged the confidence-and-supply agreement more than two years ago, with the New Democrats agreeing to keep the minority Liberal government in power until June of next year in exchange for movement on key priorities.

Many of the affordability measures the Liberals have brought in over recent years, including dental-care benefits, one-time rental supplements for low-income tenants and a temporary doubling of the GST rebate, were NDP priorities.

New Democrats have also used the deal to push forward items such as pharmacare and a ban on replacement workers during a strike or lockout at federally regulated workplaces.

The two parties also negotiated a housing accelerator fund that allocated billions of dollars to help build over 750,000 homes across Canada.

If the New Democrats pull out of the deal, it doesn㽶Ƶֱt mean it will trigger an election. The party would instead vote on Liberal legislation piece by piece.

MacKinnon declined to comment on the NDP㽶Ƶֱs plans to discuss the deal as a result of his actions in the rail lockout.

Gould㽶Ƶֱs office pointed to the comments she made last week about being 㽶Ƶֱconfident㽶Ƶֱ the deal will last to its end.

㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱs pretty clear she doesn㽶Ƶֱt have her finger on the pulse on how angry people are,㽶Ƶֱ Green said of Gould.

㽶ƵֱI can assure you we will not be taken for granted in that way, that the Liberals can just wish upon a star that somehow simply being there is going to keep them in government.㽶Ƶֱ

Most priorities in the deal have been achieved, with the exception of tabling a long-term care act to strengthen standards in care homes, and enacting certain electoral reforms.

While revisiting the deal, New Democrats will consider using it to 㽶Ƶֱfight for more㽶Ƶֱ from the Liberal government, said Green, specifically around supports for workers and their families.

㽶ƵֱGiven where we㽶Ƶֱre at today, there needs to be additional steps that would make that agreement worthwhile in the eyes of Canadians,㽶Ƶֱ he said.

The NDP retreat in Montreal comes just days before a federal byelection scheduled for a city riding on Sept. 16. The NDP hopes to flip the Liberal-held riding of LaSalle㽶ƵֱÉmard㽶ƵֱVerdun to orange. They last won the riding in 2011, though it has traditionally been a safe seat for the Liberals.

Last week Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a press conference calling for Singh to break the deal. He blamed him for selling out workers by signing onto a 㽶Ƶֱcostly coalition㽶Ƶֱ that he says puts Singh and Trudeau ahead of Canadians.

National opinion polls suggest Poilievre㽶Ƶֱs stance on workers rights and the economy is resonating with Canadians. He continues to hold a substantial lead in polls ahead of Liberals and New Democrats.





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