It’s official: the federal Liberals and NDP have formed a deal to prop up the Trudeau government.
The supply and confidence agreement goes into effect today and ends in 2025 when the next federal election will be held.
What it means is the NDP will vote with the minority Liberals on future confidence votes and budgets.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the deal between the two parties will provide stability for Canadians. In exchange, the Liberals will move forward on national pharmacare and dental care, two priorities of the NDP.
Trudeau says he thought long and hard about the agreement and called the decision difficult but that with so much instability in the last two years Canadians need stability and the agreement with the NDP will “deliver results for Canadians, now.”
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh says they are using their power as a party to get help for people. Singh says they will not let Liberals “off the hook” and will continue to hold them to account to deliver national dental care for children 12 and under by the end of this year. The agreement also includes national pharmacare, an affordable housing plan, and quicker action on climate change and reducing emissions.
Interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen called the agreement a “coalition” that “will be a disaster for the Canadian economy.” She says it is “nothing more than a callous attempt by Trudeau to hold on to power.” Bergen warns “If this NDP-Liberal coalition stands, Canada is in for a very rough ride.”