Thomas calls Liberal-NDP deal ‘affront to democracy’
By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on March 25, 2022.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com
The federal Liberals and NDP may be excited about working together after reaching a deal to keep Justin Trudeau’s party in power for the next three years, but Lethbridge MP Rachael Thomas isn’t.
On Wednesday, the NDP agreed to prop up the minority Liberal government in return for support on NDP priorities that the party considers to be key.
Under the deal, the government will be passing a Canada Pharmacare Act by the end of next year.
Thomas made clear in a written statement to The Herald that she isn’t impressed.
Pharmacare is just one element of the deal which includes “a dental-care program for low-income Canadians….extending the rapid housing initiative and phasing out public financing for the fossil fuel sector more quickly,” said a Canadian Press story.
“Canadians didn’t vote for an NDP government. They voted for a Liberal minority government,” the MP stated.
“This deal is a power grab for Jagmeet Singh and Justin Trudeau. The potential ramifications, given the extraordinary costs to Canadians that are likely to result from this coalition, are frightening.
“As an opposition party, the NDP have a constitutional obligation to challenge and oppose the government. Pre-emptively agreeing to rubber stamp whatever the Liberals attempt to do is an abdication of their role for the purpose of maintaining power.
“It is an affront to democracy and a disservice to the Canadian people,” wrote Thomas.
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More howling from the Conservatives. What we have here is a “supply-and-confidence” agreement, which is perfectly common in the Westminster parliamentary system, which is what we have. This also, brings back memories of Oct 16.2003 when the PCs and Alliance merged as Conservatives, so ok for them but no one else?
From Twitter: “…a great example of how Canadians are exceptionally poorly equipped to deal with the prospect of actually dealing with genuine coalition governments, much less dealing with that on a regular basis.” And, this isn’t even a coalition, in formal terms.