Canada: Trudeau government faces setback as coalition shatters

OTTAWA: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s administration is facing increased challenges following the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) decision to withdraw from the governing alliance on Wednesday.

In a video statement, the NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced the party’s intention of terminating its collation government with the Liberals, expressing concerns regarding Trudeau’s leadership.

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Singh accused the Canadian PM of weakening the Liberal Party and failing to effectively challenge the Conservative Opposition.

During his address, Singh pointed out that recent polling suggests a strong possibility of a Conservative win in the upcoming 2025 election. He voiced his disappointment with the Liberals, claiming they have become overly self-serving and too closely tied to corporate interests, which had diminished their capacity to safeguard average Canadian’s rights and enact meaningful reforms.

The NDP leader went on to state that his party had backed Trudeau since 2022 with the expectation of increase investment in social welfare programmes. However, he admitted that the current Canadian PM had lost voter confidence, indicated by the latest survey results.

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Despite the NDP’s withdrawal, sources suggest that Trudeau is unlikely to resign or call for immediate elections. The government will now need to identify a new partner from the Opposition in the Canadian parliament – the House of Commons.

Trudeau’s government still needs a coalition partnership to pass the new budget and ensure a vote of confidence.