NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Thursday called on the minority Liberals to recall Parliament and pass legislative relief measures for workers set to be hit by U.S. tariffs expected this weekend.
“If you’re serious about supporting workers, 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, and support communities,” Singh told reporters.
Singh reiterated that the party would hold firm on its position to vote to bring down the Liberal government in March, but signaled that they would be open to working with them until then.
“We are going to be voting down the government in March, but there’s still two months. The Liberals think they can wait two months before they bring in legislation. They are wrong. That will allow workers to suffer for two months. That is not the right way to do things,” Singh said.
Singh was asked if he would support pandemic-style relief measures for workers who lose their jobs or businesses who suffer heavy losses as a result of the tariffs, and said was open to that idea.
“Whatever works, whatever is the best way to get support to those impacted,” he said.
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“Whether that’s pandemic-style or another way, the goal is to achieve supports for those workers impacted so that workers aren’t bearing the brunt of this trade war.”
He said relief measures should be “targeted in their specific sectors.”
Speaking to reporters in Montreal on Thursday, Industry Minister Francois-Phillippe Champagne did not directly say whether recalling Parliament was on the cards.
“We are looking at ways that we can use existing program to support workers, to support industries that could be affected,” he said.
The White House reiterated Tuesday that Trump still intends to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all goods from Canada and Mexico on Feb. 1.
The federal government is also looking at a relief package to help businesses and industries affected by Trump’s tariffs. Multiple premiers have said provinces are considering relief plans much like those introduced during the pandemic.
Any new federal spending would need approval from Parliament.
Asked about that potential aid package Tuesday, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson told reporters that “we need to ensure we’re trying to shield Canadians from the fallout.”
Singh was the last opposition leader to declare last month he would introduce a motion of non-confidence in the government and vote against the Liberals.
That came months after Singh “tore up” the supply-and-confidence agreement between the NDP and Liberals that kept the minority government in power in exchange for NDP priorities like dental care.
Singh reiterated his position earlier this month after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his intention to resign after a new leader is chosen, with the NDP leader saying he will vote against the Liberals no matter who replaces Trudeau.
The Liberals are set to elect their new leader on March 9. Whoever wins the contest will automatically become prime minister until an election is called.
–with files from Global’s Sean Boynton
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