(Ottawa) A coalition between Justin Trudeau’s Liberals and Jagmeet Singh’s New Democrats, even informal, to ensure the survival of the minority Liberal government in the House of Commons would have disastrous consequences for the Canadian economy and public finances, says Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole.
Two weeks before the House resumes, the Conservative leader denounced the informal talks that have been taking place for several days between the Liberals and the NDP which would ensure the minority government of Justin Trudeau three years of parliamentary tranquility.
The purpose of the talks: to give the Liberals the necessary support in the House of Commons to stay in power during confidence votes during the session. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh each gave their blessing to these discussions. The Liberals must have the support of at least one opposition party to ensure passage of bills in the Commons.
At a press conference on Monday in Ottawa, Erin O’Toole did not skimp on the attacks, saying that these discussions could give rise to a “radical coalition”.
“This coalition will result in billions of dollars in new spending and that spending will drive the inflation rate up again and again. This coalition will allow Jagmeet Singh to carry out radical policies. These policies will threaten the livelihoods of millions of Canadians, ”he said.
The magazine Maclean’s first reported on these informal discussions. Press managed to get these talks confirmed by independent sources last week.
According to our sources, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, Katie Telford, and Mr. Singh’s chief of staff, Jennifer Howard, also had informal exchanges on this delicate political operation which would provide political stability in Ottawa for the next three years. years.
On average, a minority government succeeds in ruling the country for a period of 18 to 24 months. It was Justin Trudeau’s Liberals who initiated the discussions.
These discussions are all the more unacceptable, according to Erin O’Toole, since neither Justin Trudeau or Jagmeet Singh breathed a word on a possible agreement during the recent federal election. The Conservative leader also claimed that Mr. Trudeau kept his own Liberal troops in the dark.
Justin Trudeau meets with his Liberal caucus Monday in Ottawa for the first time since the election. “His first order of business is going to be to tell his Liberal MPs that they are going to have to agree to a deal to create a radical Liberal / NDP coalition. This coalition will cause billions of dollars in new spending especially to buy the silence of Jagmeet Singh, ”he argued.
Mandatory vaccination catches up with O’Toole
O’Toole was caught up, however, by comments made by Conservative MPs about mandatory vaccination. At the end of the week, MP Marilyn Gladu, who is part of a conservative mini-caucus against vaccination bringing together about thirty deputies and senators, notably questioned the severity of COVID-19.
Mr. O’Toole, who was taunted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his speech at the start of the Liberal caucus meeting on the vaccination issue, declined to say whether he intends to show the door output to refractory deputies.
“There is a big difference between the work of MPs for their fellow citizens and creating confusion. […] Vaccines are important and it is possible to have a commitment for your citizens, but we must leave comments on vaccines to doctors and health experts, ”he confined himself to saying.
The mandatory vaccination of members who want to participate in person in the work of the House of Commons has become a burden for the Conservative leader. To this day, Mr. O’Toole still refuses to say how many Conservative MPs still go unvaccinated. An analysis by The Canadian Press shows that at least 82 of the 119 elected Conservatives, including Mr. O’Toole, are doubly vaccinated against COVID-19.
O’Toole said, however, that Conservative MPs who will participate in parliamentary work in person from November 22 will all be fully immunized.