No one forced Jagmeet Singh to support the Trudeau government! As the leader of the New Democrat Party (NDP), Singh has the autonomy to make decisions about the party’s actions and stance on issues. He chose to support Prime Minister Trudeau’s budget and government of his own free will.
Singh understood the tradeoff, support for the Liberal government in exchange for dental care and better overall coverage and benefits for Canadians. And without that deal, this may not have happened as quickly. Anytime Canadians can improve their quality of living is always a good thing. When a party does good by Canadians, they deserve to be acknowledged. The benefits Singh negotiated with the Liberals were a big win for Canadians.
Singh was also well aware that political parties often enter into agreements with each other, particularly when they are in a minority government situation like the current one in Canada. These agreements can include a range of commitments, such as supporting the government on certain issues in exchange for the advancement of the party’s own priorities.
Ultimately, it is up to Jagmeet and the NDP to decide whether they want to continue supporting the Trudeau government or not. He will need to weigh the potential consequences and how it aligns with the party’s values and principles. But most importantly, does he believe the Canadian people have an appetite for another federal election and can the NDP afford one? In addition to those questions, has he gotten everything out of the deal with the Liberals where he feels he can win an election?
These are all legitimate questions Singh would have to consider before pulling the plug on the deal to prop up the Liberal government. His moments of reflection likely led him to the same answers to all of his questions, which is more than likely no. The reality of his predicament has undoubtedly left Singh resorting to postering in the media with ramped-up rhetoric of his disdain for the government his party is propping up.
There is no doubt that the once upbeat leader has changed, and politics has a way of doing that to even the best of people. If Singh is so confident that Canadians will elect him as the next Prime Minister, he must make a decision. He can either support the Liberal government and hold his nose for a few years or break his agreement with Trudeau and send the country to the polls early.
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