Analysis: After reneging on agreement with liberals, will NDP push for an election before 2025?

September 5, 2024 TruthUSA

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh acknowledges that ending his party’s supply and confidence pact with the Liberals could lead to an early election, but experts suggest that the NDP is not inclined to trigger a 2024 election.

“It will take months for him to prove that he is different from the Prime Minister and the Liberal Party,” stated Tim Powers, Chairman of Summa Strategies.

According to Powers, the NDP’s close alignment with the Liberals has contributed to a decrease in their popularity, making an early election unfavorable for them.

On September 4, Singh declared the termination of the supply and confidence agreement signed with the Liberals in March 2022.

The deal entailed NDP’s support for the government in confidence matters until June 2025, coinciding with the scheduled federal election on October 20, 2025, in exchange for Liberal backing on NDP priorities like pharmacare and dental care.

During a press conference on September 5, Singh cited the Liberals’ failure to address “corporate greed” and discrepancies in addressing affordability as reasons for ending the alliance.

When questioned whether he would support a non-confidence vote that could prompt an early election, Singh stated his decision would be based on individual votes in the House of Commons.

Power compared Singh’s move to sever ties with the Liberals as a bid to escape a sinking ship.

Raising concerns about election preparedness, Kevin Gaudet of BrightPoint Strategy questioned Singh’s likelihood of supporting a non-confidence motion in the fall, suggesting that a potential decision might occur after the introduction of the next federal budget.

Gaudet noted that while the NDP’s break from the Liberals aimed to distinguish itself, this alone may not suffice to change the perception of Canadians.

Powers predicted that the Conservatives might present a non-confidence motion upon their return to the House in mid-September, to which Singh is unlikely to lend support.

“Mr. Singh will need to work hard to convince people that he stands apart from Trudeau,” Powers added.

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