'Trudeau Failed In Biggest Job': Jagmeet Singh-led NDP To Vote To Bring Canada Govt Down

Last Updated:December 20, 2024, 22:26 IST

Jagmeet Singh's latest move may prove to be a death blow for Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party, as it had been relying on the NDP to survive future confidence votes.

Jagmeet Singh's NDP parted ways with a supply-and-confidence deal with Trudeau's Liberal Party in September. (Reuters)

In another setback for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his former ally Jagmeet Singh of the New Democratic Party (NDP) said his caucus “will vote to bring this government down and give Canadians a chance to vote for a government who will work for them" after months of being non-committal.

In a letter addressed to Canadians, Jagmeet Singh said Trudeau “failed in the biggest job a Prime Minister has: to work for people, not the powerful." He further said the Liberals “don’t deserve another chance".

“That’s why the NDP will vote to bring this government down and give Canadians a chance to vote for a government who will work for them. No matter who is leading the Liberal Party, this government’s time is up. We will put forward a clear motion of no-confidence in the next sitting of the House of Commons," Singh further said in the letter.

“I called for Justin Trudeau to resign, and he should. He can’t fix healthcare. He can’t build homes you can afford. He can’t lower your bills," the NDP leader said in a tersely-worded statement, adding that the next fight is against the Conservative Party led by Pierre Poilievre.

Jagmeet Singh’s decision may come as a death blow for Trudeau’s unpopular Liberal government, as the NDP was the only pillar of support for the Prime Minister to rely on to stay in power. This big move came just ahead of Trudeau’s cabinet shuffle.

The move also came two days after Singh, battling pressure from other parties to clear his stance regarding support to Trudeau, said he would not “box himself in" by committing to help bring down the Liberal government, reported Canada-based CTV News.

ALSO READ: As Calls For Justin Trudeau’s Resignation Get Louder, What Are His Options? Explained

Trudeau’s Position Hanging By A Thread

The 52-year-old Trudeau is barely clinging on to power amid mounting pressure to step down, including from members of his own Liberal Party, as many have lost confidence in the leader’s ability to lead them into the next election amid widespread economic and diplomatic woes.

The latest crisis to hit Trudeau began when Deputy PM and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned from his cabinet, citing irreconcilable differences over the country’s response to US President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats. Nearly 60 of 153 Liberal MPs have publicly called for a change in leadership.

His losses were exacerbated by another bruising by-election defeat in British Columbia. The Conservative candidate won the seat by some 50 percentage points over the Liberal rival, which is considered an embarrassing result given the Liberals won there in the last election.

Following the resignation of Freeland, Jagmeet Singh said Trudeau must step down as Canada needs a Prime Minister who will fight for the people. A top NDP official recently said the party is willing to defeat the Liberals in a confidence vote if Trudeau does not resign by February or March 2025.

Trudeau has become widely unpopular in Canada owing to rising inflation, a cost of living problem, a housing crisis, and record immigration that has frustrated Canadians. He is also facing strained relations with India and the United States.

Trudeau Expected To Reshuffle Cabinet

Canadian governments must show they have the confidence of the House of Commons elected chamber. Votes on budgets and other spending are considered confidence measures and if a government loses one, it falls. In virtually all cases, an election campaign starts immediately.

With the loss of NDP on its side, the Liberal government is even more vulnerable as Jagmeet Singh’s party had initially helped them survive their first no-confidence vote. However, troubles began when Singh pulled the NDP from a 2022 supply-and-confidence deal to prop up Trudeau’s minority government.

If Trudeau resigns, the Liberal Party will have to choose a new leader and prime minister. If he decides to stay, Trudeau will have to face disgruntled Liberal MPs and a House of Commons that might fight tooth and nail to defeat his government. He is expected to reshuffle his cabinet soon in a bid to appease some MPs, although there is a possibility that it would further increase voices of dissent.

Six cabinet ministers, Sean Fraser, Pablo Rodriguez, Marie-Claude Bibeau, Carla Qualtrough, Filomena Tassi and Dan Vandal, have already decided not to run for the next election, and Freeland’s departure means that there are eight cabinet spots to fill.

Ottawa, Canada

News world 'Trudeau Failed In Biggest Job': Jagmeet Singh-led NDP To Vote To Bring Canada Govt Down