(Ottawa) The New Democratic Party (NDP) will support the budget presented by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland last month, ensuring the minority Liberal government will pass it in the House of Commons.
This was stated by NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Wednesday in the foyer of the House of Commons.
The Conservative Party, the Green Party and the Bloc Québécois had already indicated that they would vote against the budget presented by Minister Freeland.
Mr. Singh maintained that his party needed time to digest the budget, but would ultimately vote for its adoption because of the joint initiatives it proposes.
These include creating a national school meals program and providing free contraceptives and diabetes medications to anyone with a health card.
“These are things that would never have been put in the budget without us,” Mr. Singh said.
On Wednesday, Mr. Singh said he was still concerned about the disability benefits provided in the budget, fearing that they would be reduced by the provinces and that too few people would benefit.
He also said the budget did not provide enough aid to Indigenous communities.
He raised these questions with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“We’re not going to let them get away with this.” I got an opening to address the concerns I raised and now we will hold them to account,” Mr Singh said.
He would not say whether he had made specific requests to Mr. Trudeau or whether he had obtained concessions from the Liberal government.
“Well, I have outlined my concerns,” Mr. Singh said.
The minority Liberals needed the support of at least one other party to pass the budget.
New Democrats support the government in key votes in exchange for progress on shared priorities, including pharmacare and dental care, as part of a “support and confidence agreement” reached recently more than two years.