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Trudeau weakened after leftist party pulls support / Photo: SAUL LOEB - AFP
Trudeau weakened after leftist party pulls support
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suffered a major political blow on Wednesday when a small leftist faction in parliament pulled its support for his minority Liberal government.
"Today, I notified the prime minister that I've ripped up the supply and confidence agreement," New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh said in an online video.
The move means the Liberals -- at a time when they are trailing Conservatives in public opinion surveys -- will have to find other support in parliament in order to survive confidence votes and avoid possible snap elections.
In his message, Singh did not mince words: "The liberals are too weak, too selfish and too beholden to corporate interests to fight for people. They cannot be the change. They cannot restore the hope."
He also accused Justin Trudeau of not being able to take on the Conservative opposition.
The deal to prop up the Liberals, inked in 2022, was to remain in place until scheduled elections in 2025. Pierre Poilievre, leader of the main opposition Conservatives, urged Singh to kill it in a letter last week.
"I'm focused on Canadians. I'll let the other parties focus on politics," Trudeau reacted at a news conference during a stop in Newfoundland province, listing achievements of the Liberal-NDP alliance including a national dental program.
L.Pelletier--SMC
