Ottawa: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced an agreement reached by his Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party (NDP) in Parliament to ensure the ruling party to govern through 2025.
“It’s a minority government, so parties need to work together,” Trudeau said on Tuesday at a press conference. The parties agree to partner from March 22, 2022 until the next election when Parliament rises in June 2025, Xinhua news agency reported.
The partnership arrangement allows four budgets from 2022 to 2025 to be presented by the government during this time, meaning that the NDP agrees to support the government on confidence and budgetary matters. The NDP would not move a vote of non-confidence, nor vote for a non-confidence motion during the term of the arrangement.
The parties have identified key policy areas where there is a desire for a similar medium-term outcome, focusing on growing the economy by creating green jobs that fight the climate crisis, making people’s lives more affordable with housing and childcare, expanding and protecting the healthcare as well as advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
“It is about ensuring those differences do not stand in the way of delivering on shared goals for the benefit of each and every Canadian,” a statement from the prime minister office said. “No one benefits when increasing polarisation and parliamentary dysfunction stand in the way of delivering these results for Canadians.”
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said later in his virtual press conference that he’s not concerned if his party gets credit for enacting these programmes and that his party is simply “using our power to get help to people.”
On average, minority governments in Canada survive for about 18 months before falling and having to return to the polls. Currently the House of Commons has 338 members. The Liberals have 159 seats, Conservatives 119, Bloc Quebecois 32, NDP 25, Green Party two, and Independent one.
(IANS)
