Singh to talk policy priorities at second day of NDP caucus retreat

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is expected to have more to share today about the progressive policies his team intends to prioritize, and his red lines, when Parliament resumes next week.

His party is facing renewed pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to take a stand on whether they’re ready to vote to defeat Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal minority government.

New Democrats have said they’ll only offer their support to Trudeau going forward if the Liberals propose bills that they believe benefit Canadians. Heading into the fall sitting, they have yet to offer any specifics.

Singh has a press conference at 12:30 p.m. EDT where he’s expected to speak to the NDP’s vision for the next sitting. He indicated Tuesday that after more time talking to his MPs, he’d offer up new details about his plans.

Broadly, the NDP has said health care, housing affordability and a price cap on grocery prices for essential items, such as bread and baby formula, will be top areas of focus.

Speaking on their way in to the second day of closed-door meetings, NDP MPs said they’ve been deep into discussion about how their caucus is going to approach issues in the House of Commons.

“We’ve got lots of work to do for Canadians, obviously there’s a lot on people’s minds,” said NDP MP Taylor Bachrach. “We’re going to work for more wins for Canadians. This has been an historic minority Parliament. We’ve gotten a lot of work done for people… And we’re going to try to build on [that].”

It has now been one full weeksince Singh pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberals. 

Singh has not spoken to Trudeau since, telling reporters at the retreat that as he’s not interested in any new deal, and that he doesn’t care to have another conversation with the political leader he spent the last two years working with.

Yesterday, NDP MPs said they think getting out of the two-party pact — which secured government action on progressive policies in exchange for propping up Trudeau’s grip on power — has actually given them more leverage. 

Meanwhile, Yves-Francois Blanchet has signalled the 32-member Bloc Québécois caucus is ready to regain the role of holding the balance of power and act as the Liberals’ dance partner in exchange for action on a list of demands. 

Today is also the final day of the Liberal caucus retreat in Nanaimo, B.C. and the prime minister is expected to speak about his government’s game plan as they head back to the capital under traditional minority dynamics. The Liberals also face the prospect of defeat ahead of the next fixed election date.

On Wednesday in Ottawa, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called on Singh and Blanchet to commit to voting non-confidence in the Trudeau Liberals.

“The common-sense Conservatives will put forward a non-confidence motion at the earliest possible opportunity…It’s put up, or shut up time for the NDP,” said Poilievre.

While the party is in full planning mode for the next federal campaign, uncertainty remains about how soon an election could be triggered. The NDP has not indicated any imminent desire to send Canadians to the polls.

NDP House Leader Peter Julian said Wednesday that, given the newfound instability in Parliament, MPs in Montreal are talking about “what we are looking to do and accomplish in the next election.”

Though he and other MPs said they’re in a see-where-things-go mindset. The NDP’s view is that it’ll be on the Liberals to propose policies that’ll help stave-off a potential snap vote.

“I hear from people who want an election right away and I hear from people who’d like to see it in October,” Bachrach said. “So, I think its going to depend on the government. It’s going to depend on what bills they bring forward.”   

This is a developing story, check back for updates.