NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to journalists after a caucus meeting in Ottawa on Jan. 22.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has again pledged to defeat the government by the end of March, as the Liberals tried to make the case for the New Democrats to give them a lifeline through to the fall to strike pharmacare agreements and deal with the U.S. tariff threat.
At a press conference in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., on Thursday, Mr. Singh walked back comments he made earlier this week when he opened the door to the NDP once again supporting the Liberals in the minority Parliament.
“We will be voting against the government at the end of March,” Mr. Singh said repeatedly in response to several questions about his evolving position. “We will be voting against the government at the end of March. Please ask me again, because I’ll repeat that again.”
He argued that before then the New Democrats could work with the Liberals to create a tariff relief package. He did not explain, however, how legislation could be finalized before the U.S. clarifies what its tariffs against Canada will cover – or when the tariffs will be put in place.
“I’m demanding that the Liberal government call back Parliament. Let’s put before Parliament a package to protect workers, support workers that are impacted by these tariffs,” Mr. Singh said.
The Conservatives have also requested a return of the House before prorogation ends on March 24. A government official said Thursday there is no plan to recall the House earlier.
The Globe and Mail is not identifying the official who was not permitted to disclose the plans.
On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump repeated his pledge to levy 25-per-cent tariffs on Canadian goods beginning on Saturday. On Wednesday, his Commerce Secretary nominee suggested they could be avoided, while another phase of tariffs could still come after April 1.
In an interview prior to Mr. Singh’s press conference, Health Minister Mark Holland argued against a spring election, citing the looming trade war. He also said the government needs more time to finalize its bilateral pharmacare agreements with provinces and territories.
The country’s pharmacare law is the product of a now-defunct agreement between the Liberals and New Democrats that saw the NDP prop up the minority government in exchange for policy concessions.
Mr. Holland said Ottawa is now “very close” to striking the deals but needs more time.
“If we have until October, then we can get every deal done,” he said. “To me, it makes no sense to, for the sake of a few months, throw away the opportunity to get these pharmacare deals done.”
Last June, however, Mr. Holland said his objective was for the drugs to be covered and available to Canadians by April 1 of this year.
Bill C-64, the legislation allowing the government to strike the pharmacare deals, received royal assent on Oct. 10.
Asked Thursday about the April goal to see contraceptives and diabetes medication available to Canadians, Mr. Holland said the government is “moving as fast as we possibly can.”
“There’s a lot of things happening in the world right now, that are trying to pull our attention in lots of places,” he said. “But people’s health is too important to lose sight of.”
A memorandum of understanding is already in place between Ottawa and British Columbia. B.C. agreed to enter formal discussions with the federal government to publicly fund the medications and treatments, once Bill C-64 received royal assent.
In a letter sent to Mr. Holland on Wednesday, Mr. Singh and NDP health critic Peter Julian called on the minister to finalize the pharmacare agreements, along with the expansion of a separate dental care program.
“Your government has all the legislation, and the funding needed to keep its promises on dental care and pharmacare now,” the letter said. “There will be no more time to get this done.”
In a statement Thursday, Mr. Julian called Mr. Holland’s new comments a “Liberal ploy.”
“They are willing to withhold birth control and insulin to buy more time for their new leader. It’s cynical,” he said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Jan. 6 he would resign after the Liberals elect a new leader. That vote will take place on March 9 and the winner will also become prime minister. All the major opposition parties have pledged to defeat the Liberals when the House returns on March 24.
Joss Reimer, the president of the Canadian Medical Association, said every physician knows of patients who cannot afford their medications, which means they may opt to take half doses or not take those medications at all.
“The sooner we can get these agreements signed, the better chance they have at surviving whatever the political winds may bring,” Dr. Reimer said.
Conservatives did not support the Liberal government’s legislation on pharmacare. During a debate in the House of Commons last fall, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he rejected a single-payer drug plan, calling it “radical.”