Singh couldn't ‘stomach idea' of a Conservative majority, no regrets on no fall vote
TORONTO - NDP Leader said he has no regrets about not triggering a fall election, because he couldn't 'stomach the idea' of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre forming a majority government and wanted more time for pharmacare to be entrenched.
Polling data last fall suggested the Conservatives could have nearly wiped out the governing Liberals and easily formed a majority government. The NDP were flirting with the Liberals for second place.
Now with the Liberals ahead in the polls and his own party at risk of losing official party status, Singh said that he stands by his decision not to bring down the Liberals.
'The first and foremost thing is I wanted people to get the benefit of dental care and pharmacare, those are really important things I fought for,' Singh said in front of a crowd at the Ontario Public Service Employees Union convention in Toronto.
'Secondly, I think what (Pierre) Poilievre and the Conservatives are proposing are incredibly dangerous. He wants to cut and slash the things that people need... and because I couldn't stomach the idea of Poilievre forming majority government, I made that decision.'
Singh told the crowd of union members that without more New Democrats in the House of Commons, Canada could be heading toward budget cuts reminiscent of the 1990s era Liberals.
The NDP leader laid out a series of priorities he wants to see addressed in the federal budget, once the House of Commons is scheduled to reconvene in about a month.
This includes expanding pharmacare to cover essential medications like cancer and heart medicine, national rent control, a price cap on grocery staples and closing loopholes on offshore tax havens among other measures.
'If he wants our support, then let's make it really clear we're not going to let cuts to our health care we want to see it strengthened. We want to see steps making life more affordable for Canadians. We've laid those out, and so we expect those priorities to be met, to have our support,' Singh said.
Singh said that the Liberals are looking to cut upwards of $28 billion in operating spending, money the NDP Leader says could come in part from provincial health transfers.
Carney previously said he does not plan to cut health care spending, and the Liberal campaign talks about maintaining provincial and personal federal transfers.
Singh pointed to a number of interviews Carney's done since becoming Liberal leader where he mentions provincial and personal transfers in his plans to balance the government's operating budget.
In the last Parliament, the NDP used its leverage through its agreement to prop up the minority Liberal government to advance legislative priorities like the aforementioned dental care and pharmacare programs, plus anti-scab legislation.
Now, polls suggest the possibility of a Liberal majority government which would limit the amount of power opposition party's can wield.
Singh has spent the last few weeks overtly campaigning to be the power broker in Parliament once again, and did not mince words on why voters should not look to another party like the Bloc Québécois.
'Sadly, the Bloc is basically a useless party. They had the past three years of a minority government and literally did this much for people, nothing,' Singh said.
Singh is keeping up the positive vibes in the final days of the campaign, despite repeated questions and comments about the future of the party and his own leadership.
Regardless of the result on Monday, Singh said the NDP always takes a look in the mirror after a campaign.
'A lot of circumstances happen outside of our control. Threats from Donald Trump, attacking our country, attacking our sovereignty, trade war. You know, unpredictable things happen. So we'll look at that and make an assessment,' Singh said.
The NDP campaign includes stops in Hamilton and London, Ont. on Friday, as the party looks to maintain and pickup seats in southern Ontario. Singh will head back to British Columbia this weekend to close out the campaign.
His own riding is in Burnaby, a suburban city in the metro Vancouver area.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
7 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Justice Department's early moves on voting and elections signal a shift from its traditional role
ATLANTA (AP) — In North Carolina, it was a lawsuit over the state's voter registration records. In Arizona and Wisconsin , it was a letter to state election officials warning of potential administrative violations. And in Colorado, it was a demand for election records going back to 2020. Those actions in recent weeks by the U.S. Department of Justice's voting section may seem focused on the technical machinery of how elections are run but signal deeper changes when combined with the departures of career attorneys and decisions to drop various voting rights cases. They represent a shift away from the division's traditional role of protecting access to the ballot box. Instead, the actions address concerns that have been raised by a host of conservative activists following years of false claims surrounding elections in the U.S. Some voting rights and election experts also note that by targeting certain states — presidential battlegrounds or those controlled by Democrats — the moves could be foreshadowing an expanded role for the department in future elections. David Becker, a former department attorney who worked on voting rights cases and now leads the Center for Election Innovation & Research, said the Justice Department's moves represent a departure from focusing on major violations of federal law. 'This would be like the police department prioritizing jaywalking over murder investigations,' he said. A Justice Department spokesperson responded with 'no comment' to an emailed request for more information about the actions, including whether similar ones had been taken in any other states. Actions come amid major changes at the DOJ Conservatives for years have called for an overhaul at the Justice Department in both personnel and priorities. President Donald Trump also has criticized how elections are run, falsely blaming his 2020 loss on widespread fraud. Earlier this year, he signed an executive order seeking a sweeping overhaul of election operations — an authority the Constitution grants to the states and Congress. After his win last November, Trump installed key allies at the Justice Department, including Attorney General Pam Bondi , who has made similar claims about the 2020 election. Multiple reviews in the presidential battleground states affirmed Democrat Joe Biden's win in 2020 , Trump and his allies lost dozens of lawsuits , and even Trump's attorney general at the time said there was no evidence of widespread fraud. Justin Levitt, a former deputy assistant attorney general in the department's civil rights division, said most of the DOJ's actions appeared reasonable and focused on issues that had already been raised by conservative activists in those states. They also are the type that would be expected from a conservative administration, he said, with the exception of the Colorado request. He called that 'well out of bounds.' 'This administration has prioritized grievance, even perceived grievance when there is no basis in fact,' said Levitt, who also served as a senior policy adviser in the Biden administration. 'And it's dismaying, but not surprising, that the civil rights division would do the same.' Department wants records related to the 2020 election The department's request to Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, asked for all records relating to last year's presidential election. Federal law requires those to be kept for 22 months. In the request, the department stated it had received a complaint alleging that Griswold's office was not in compliance with federal law relating to voter registration. The request also directs Griswold to preserve any records of the 2020 election that might still be in the state's possession. Griswold, in an interview, called the request a 'fishing expedition' and said her office responded by providing state voting files. 'I'm not even sure they know what they are looking for,' Griswold said. 'They can request all the data they want, and it's not going to prove anything.' North Carolina elections have been a particular target for Republicans In North Carolina, where Republican lawmakers recently wrested control of the state election board from the Democratic governor, Justice Department lawyers filed a lawsuit accusing state election officials of failing to ensure that all voter records include identifying information, such as a driver's license. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who oversees the civil rights division , said in a statement announcing the lawsuit that accurate voter rolls are critical to ensuring elections are conducted 'fairly, accurately, and without fraud.' The previous board had acknowledged the issue and updated the state's voter registration form. The new board leadership has vowed to address it. Skeptical of the motives In Wisconsin, which Trump won in 2016 and 2024 but lost in 2020, department lawyers recently sent a letter to the state election commission accusing it of not providing a complaint process for those raising concerns. This comes as Republican state lawmakers are pushing legislation to expand the ability to appeal decisions made by the six-member commission, which is equally divided between Republicans and Democrats. Republican lawmakers have long complained about commission decisions they perceive as benefiting Democrats. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a law firm that frequently defends Republicans on election issues, supports both efforts, said Lucas Vebber, the firm's deputy counsel. 'It's ensuring that Wisconsinites are entitled to have their complaints heard and adjudicated,' he said. 'As something as important as our elections, it's vital to ensure that process is transparent and available to everyone.' Rep. Lee Snodgrass, a Democrat on the Wisconsin Legislature's elections committee, said state law needs some tightening around how election complaints are handled, but she's dubious about the motives of the Trump administration and conservative activists in the state. They are looking for ways 'to cast doubt on election integrity, so if they don't get the results they want they can cry foul,' Snodgrass said. Concerns about future actions In Arizona, DOJ lawyers said the state was not clearly telling voter registration applicants to provide a driver's license if they have one and asked the state to conduct a review to identify any noncitizens. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, responded by saying Arizona requires those registering to vote in state and local elections to provide proof of citizenship and conducts checks using the state's motor vehicle records. In Oregon, Justice Department lawyers weighed in on an ongoing lawsuit filed by the conservative group Judicial Watch. It alleges the state has failed to comply with federal laws on maintaining voter lists and making these records available for public inspection. John Powers, a former Justice Department attorney who now serves as legal director for the Advancement Project, said he was concerned about the moves coupled with the Justice Department's staff departures and its withdrawal from voting rights cases. Powers said he hoped, with midterm elections next year, that the department would not pursue minor technical issues in a way that could undermine public confidence in elections. 'I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about what the future might hold,' he said. ___ Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
7 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Justice Department's early moves on voting and elections signal a shift from its traditional role
ATLANTA (AP) — In North Carolina, it was a lawsuit over the state's voter registration records. In Arizona and Wisconsin, it was a letter to state election officials warning of potential administrative violations. And in Colorado, it was a demand for election records going back to 2020. Those actions in recent weeks by the U.S. Department of Justice's voting section may seem focused on the technical machinery of how elections are run but signal deeper changes when combined with the departures of career attorneys and decisions to drop various voting rights cases. They represent a shift away from the division's traditional role of protecting access to the ballot box. Instead, the actions address concerns that have been raised by a host of conservative activists following years of false claims surrounding elections in the U.S. Some voting rights and election experts also note that by targeting certain states — presidential battlegrounds or those controlled by Democrats — the moves could be foreshadowing an expanded role for the department in future elections. David Becker, a former department attorney who worked on voting rights cases and now leads the Center for Election Innovation & Research, said the Justice Department's moves represent a departure from focusing on major violations of federal law. 'This would be like the police department prioritizing jaywalking over murder investigations,' he said. A Justice Department spokesperson responded with 'no comment' to an emailed request for more information about the actions, including whether similar ones had been taken in any other states. Actions come amid major changes at the DOJ Conservatives for years have called for an overhaul at the Justice Department in both personnel and priorities. President Donald Trump also has criticized how elections are run, falsely blaming his 2020 loss on widespread fraud. Earlier this year, he signed an executive order seeking a sweeping overhaul of election operations — an authority the Constitution grants to the states and Congress. After his win last November, Trump installed key allies at the Justice Department, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has made similar claims about the 2020 election. Multiple reviews in the presidential battleground states affirmed Democrat Joe Biden's win in 2020, Trump and his allies lost dozens of lawsuits, and even Trump's attorney general at the time said there was no evidence of widespread fraud. Justin Levitt, a former deputy assistant attorney general in the department's civil rights division, said most of the DOJ's actions appeared reasonable and focused on issues that had already been raised by conservative activists in those states. They also are the type that would be expected from a conservative administration, he said, with the exception of the Colorado request. He called that 'well out of bounds.' 'This administration has prioritized grievance, even perceived grievance when there is no basis in fact," said Levitt, who also served as a senior policy adviser in the Biden administration. "And it's dismaying, but not surprising, that the civil rights division would do the same.' Department wants records related to the 2020 election The department's request to Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, asked for all records relating to last year's presidential election. Federal law requires those to be kept for 22 months. In the request, the department stated it had received a complaint alleging that Griswold's office was not in compliance with federal law relating to voter registration. The request also directs Griswold to preserve any records of the 2020 election that might still be in the state's possession. Griswold, in an interview, called the request a 'fishing expedition' and said her office responded by providing state voting files. 'I'm not even sure they know what they are looking for,' Griswold said. 'They can request all the data they want, and it's not going to prove anything.' North Carolina elections have been a particular target for Republicans In North Carolina, where Republican lawmakers recently wrested control of the state election board from the Democratic governor, Justice Department lawyers filed a lawsuit accusing state election officials of failing to ensure that all voter records include identifying information, such as a driver's license. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who oversees the civil rights division, said in a statement announcing the lawsuit that accurate voter rolls are critical to ensuring elections are conducted 'fairly, accurately, and without fraud.' The previous board had acknowledged the issue and updated the state's voter registration form. The new board leadership has vowed to address it. Skeptical of the motives In Wisconsin, which Trump won in 2016 and 2024 but lost in 2020, department lawyers recently sent a letter to the state election commission accusing it of not providing a complaint process for those raising concerns. This comes as Republican state lawmakers are pushing legislation to expand the ability to appeal decisions made by the six-member commission, which is equally divided between Republicans and Democrats. Republican lawmakers have long complained about commission decisions they perceive as benefiting Democrats. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a law firm that frequently defends Republicans on election issues, supports both efforts, said Lucas Vebber, the firm's deputy counsel. 'It's ensuring that Wisconsinites are entitled to have their complaints heard and adjudicated,' he said. 'As something as important as our elections, it's vital to ensure that process is transparent and available to everyone.' Rep. Lee Snodgrass, a Democrat on the Wisconsin Legislature's elections committee, said state law needs some tightening around how election complaints are handled, but she's dubious about the motives of the Trump administration and conservative activists in the state. They are looking for ways 'to cast doubt on election integrity, so if they don't get the results they want they can cry foul,' Snodgrass said. Concerns about future actions In Arizona, DOJ lawyers said the state was not clearly telling voter registration applicants to provide a driver's license if they have one and asked the state to conduct a review to identify any noncitizens. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, responded by saying Arizona requires those registering to vote in state and local elections to provide proof of citizenship and conducts checks using the state's motor vehicle records. In Oregon, Justice Department lawyers weighed in on an ongoing lawsuit filed by the conservative group Judicial Watch. It alleges the state has failed to comply with federal laws on maintaining voter lists and making these records available for public inspection. John Powers, a former Justice Department attorney who now serves as legal director for the Advancement Project, said he was concerned about the moves coupled with the Justice Department's staff departures and its withdrawal from voting rights cases. Powers said he hoped, with midterm elections next year, that the department would not pursue minor technical issues in a way that could undermine public confidence in elections. 'I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about what the future might hold,' he said. ___ Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gavin Newsom Just Absolutely Dragged Trump's Military Parade, And Trump's Really, Really Not Gonna Like It
Donald Trump's $45 million military parade is this weekend in DC. The tanks have arrived. The barricades are up. The soldiers have been rehearsing. Related: "Let Them Eat Teslas": People At The "No Kings" Protests This Weekend Brought Signs That Were So Clever I'm Still Laughing About Them The stage has been set. The show will go on (unless there is lightning, which is a possibility). Related: This Conservative Said He Wears A Fake ICE Uniform For A Really, Really, Really Gross Reason Gavin Newsom gave his thoughts about the parade on Thursday and they're going viral: MSNBC/atrupar/Twitter: @atrupar "It's a vulgar display. It's the kind of thing you see with Kim Jong-un, you see it with Putin, you see with dictators around the world that are weak and just want to demonstrate strength. Weakness masquerading as strength. To fete the dear leader on his birthday? What an embarrassment." he said. "Honestly, that's about as small as it gets." "How weak, how weak do you have to be to commandeer the military to fete you on your birthday in a vulgar display of weakness? That's Donald Trump." As with just about everything Newsom has said this week, people are loving it: "Absolutely 100% correct," this person commented. Another person said, "You have to give the man points for hitting Trump right where it hurts most." Another person wrote, "Gavin Newsom is showing other Democrats how it's done." And this person said, "Newsom has cracked the code." Also in In the News: "Honestly Speechless At How Evil This Is": 26 Brutal, Brutal, Brutal Political Tweets Of The Week Also in In the News: This Dem Lawmaker Is Going Viral For His Extremely Shady Question To Secretary Kristi Noem Also in In the News: Well, Well, Well, For The Second Time In 2 Weeks, People Are Letting JD Vance Know EXACTLY How They Feel About Him In Public
