Jagmeet Singh Threatens to Walk Away From Deal with Liberals Over Healthcare

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has threatened to walk away from the confidence-and-supply agreement signed with the Liberals if no federal action is taken to address the healthcare crisis. The deal was signed in March and one of the terms was that the Liberal government would work on NDP’s issues, including healthcare.

Canada’s healthcare system is overwhelmed by the surge in cases of respiratory illnesses. Both adult and children’s hospitals are struggling to provide attention and care to the patients, and staff shortages are one of the reasons for it. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has been working to improve the situation and has now threatened the Liberal government to act or his party would back out of the confidence-and-supply agreement.

Back in March, the NDP and Liberal government reached an agreement that would benefit both sides. The NDP agreed to support the minority government in the House of Commons to avoid an election before 2025. The Liberal government had agreed to work on the issues that are a priority for NDP, one of which is healthcare.

“If we don’t see action on health care, we absolutely reserve the right to withdraw our support,” Singh said. “This is at the level of seriousness that we could make that serious consideration. We need to see action,” he went on to say.

Prime Minister Trudeau responded by saying that he is ready and willing to offer more money for health care, but he wants assurances of improvements in the system. He also said that the deal with the NDP is the least of their worries given the current state of the healthcare system. “I think if health care continues to be such a crisis point for so many Canadians an arrangement with the NDP is the least of our worries,” he said.

Last week, the children’s hospital in Ottawa, CHEO, asked the Canadian Red Cross to help bolster the staff that is treating a record number of babies and children with respiratory illnesses. Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary is so overwhelmed with patients that it is using a heated trailer as an overflow waiting room.

Canada’s medical system is struggling to keep up with the surge in patients. An increasing number of respiratory illnesses caused by Influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 have put hospitals, pharmacies, and staff under a lot of pressure. Children’s hospitals are also facing difficulties in keeping up with the demand. The medicine shortage, however, has somewhat been addressed as new stock has started to arrive at pharmacies.

Vineet Washington