On Tuesday, we learned that Justin Trudeau and the NDP reached a deal that will keep the Liberals in power until 2025. Immediately, I had a few questions…
How?
As it turns out, this agreement is not a coalition, but something else called a confidence and supply agreement. This is a type of deal where one political party agrees to support the government by voting in favour of them or abstaining from voting against them. These deals are usually limited to motions of confidence (whether a person is deemed fit to continue in their position) and the budget. This does not mean that the other party can’t continue to vote in line with their own ideology, personal conscience, or when it comes to legislative matters. It is essential to distinguish this from a coalition, a far more binding agreement where political parties join together, and there is an expectation to “toe the line.” With the confidence and supply agreement, the NDP is still free to act as an opposition.
But Why?
After all, we just had an election, one where Trudeau failed to regain the majority government that he lost in 2019. The election seemed to clear that Canadians are tired of “playing politics.” The whole thing was hardly a vote of confidence for any party.
To Trudeau, this is about not allowing the parties’ differences to “stand in the way of what Canadians deserve.”
Candice Bergen, the interim leader of the Conservative party, was quick to dub the agreement as a coalition, backdoor socialism, and an attempt by Trudeau to stay in power at all costs.
“This is an NDP-Liberal attempt at government by blackmail. Nation-building is replaced by vote-buying, secret deal-making over parliamentary debate, and opportunism over accountability. His answer is to stay in power at all costs, including implementing the even harsher and more extreme policies of the NDP. “If this NDP-Liberal coalition stands, Canada is a very rough ride.”
– Candice Bergen ( Interim leader of the Conservative Party of Canada)
I have always felt that when you have to ask “why?” in politics, any answer or opinion is invariably partisan.
.
What?
The agreement is called “Delivering For Canadians Now”. If the Liberals are to be believed, the agreement is supposed to work towards goals that include tackling the climate crisis and developing a better healthcare system.
What are your thoughts on this confidence and supply agreement between the Liberals and NDP? If you voted NDP, are you concerned that the party’s vision will be lost in a Liberal agenda? If you voted Conservative, do you see this as an attempt to keep the party out of office? A hail-Mary attempt by Trudeau to save face amidst a weakening case for his re-election?