New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh said Monday his party is prepared to pull out of the “support and confidence agreement” he signed with the Liberals if there is no federal action to resolve the “crisis in Canadian child health care”.
This agreement provides in particular that the New Democratic Party (NDP) support the minority Liberal government on key votes in the Commons, in order not to trigger an election by 2025. In exchange, the Liberals have promised to make progress on a number of New Democrat priorities, including health care.
While some of the terms of the agreement are quite specific, such as dental care, the articles on general health care simply refer to “permanent additional investments,” but don’t include any specific timelines or amounts.
“If we don’t see action on health care, we absolutely reserve the right to withdraw our support,” Singh said at a Monday news conference in Ottawa.
“It’s a decision you don’t take lightly. […] Now is the time to keep putting pressure on, because our goal is to save lives, it’s to save our health care system, it’s to help workers, it’s to help children. »
Jagmeet Singh said he was particularly concerned about the “growing” problems at children’s hospitals across the country. He has called for an emergency debate in the House of Commons as children’s hospitals face an influx of sick children this fall.
“We’re at a breaking point,” Singh said. Our children are in danger right now. »
“Desperate parents and workers”
Just last week, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa called on the Canadian Red Cross to help its staff, who are treating a record number of babies and children suffering from respiratory diseases.
Meanwhile, Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary is using a heated trailer as an additional waiting room.
“In Quebec, in Montreal, health care workers — doctors and nurses — said it was unheard of, the worst they had seen in their lives, with desperate parents and children, with healthcare workers who are tired,” Singh said.
“The Prime Minister lacks leadership, he must meet with the premiers and find solutions […] instead of blaming other prime ministers,” he said.
Jagmeet Singh wrote to the Speaker of the House to give advance notice of the NDP’s request for an emergency debate, citing several alarming developments across the country. He believes that the government’s urgent action should be informed by parliamentary debate.
The NDP leader explained on Monday that the conditions imposed in the “support and confidence agreement” on health care are deliberately “flexible”, but that he does not see any urgency on the part of the Liberal government.
“This is not just about health transfers: this is an immediate crisis that requires immediate action — and a Prime Minister to step in and show leadership. »