NDP leader confirms his party will support Liberals’ federal budget
— NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Wednesday ended any speculation his party would pull out of its deal with the minority Liberal government by finally agreeing to support the government’s budget.
Singh said his party wanted time to digest the document, which was tabled on April 16, but is ultimately voting in favour of it because of shared initiatives that it proposes.
That includes creating a national school lunch program and providing free birth control and diabetes medicine for anyone with a health card.
“These are things that would have never been in the budget if not for us,” Singh said.
The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois have previously said they wouldn’t support the budget. The minority Liberals needed the support of at least one other party to get the budget passed.
In 2022, the NDP agreed to a supply and confidence deal with the Liberals, promising to support the government on key votes in exchange for the Liberals moving on key NDP asks, including pharmacare and dental care.
On Wednesday, Singh said he still had concerns about the disability benefit in the budget, worried it will be clawed back by provinces, and that not enough people will receive it.
He also said the budget doesn’t provide enough help for Indigenous communities.
He raised those issues with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“We’re not going to let them off the hook. I’ve received openness to responding to the concerns I’ve raised and now we’re going to hold them to account,” Singh said.
He wouldn’t say if he made specific demands to Trudeau, or if he got any concessions from the Liberal government.
“Well, I laid out my concerns,” Singh said.