LILLEY: Singh talks tough but won’t back it up with action

Singh says Trudeau's Liberals only disappoint Canadians but won't say if he will vote against the government.

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Published Sep 05, 2024  •  Last updated 4 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh addresses media about him tearing up the “Supply and Confidence” agreement with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s minority Liberals during an announcement at the Lithuanian House in Toronto, Ont. on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. Photo by ERNEST DOROSZUK /TORONTO SUN

Jagmeet Singh wants to talk tough but on Thursday he showed he may not back it up with action. The NDP leader finally spoke to the media after withdrawing from his coalition agreement with Justin Trudeau.

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That’s the agreement that allowed Trudeau to govern as if he had a majority even though voters only gave him a minority, the slimmest of minorities.

“Justin Trudeau has proven again and again that he will never stand up to the elites. He will always cave to corporate greed. And Canadians pay for it every time we pay our bills,” Singh said in what sounded like a damning statement.

“Justin Trudeau has let Canadians down. And Canadians are done with his endless disappointment and delay. Trudeau’s Liberals can’t deliver change. They are too weak and too selfish.”

Well, tell us how you really feel, Jagmeet!

That wasn’t something the NDP leader was prepared to do, however. He was asked time and again during his news conference whether he had confidence in the Trudeau government and he wouldn’t answer.

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One of the first questions Singh faced was from Radio-Canada, CBC’s French division, where the reporter simply asked if he had confidence in the Trudeau government. He gave a response, but not an answer, that wandered all over the place talking about why he ripped up the agreement but without saying if he had confidence.

Asked directly if he would vote for a non-confidence motion, Singh also wouldn’t answer.

“A simple question, hopefully a simple answer. Do you have confidence in the Trudeau government?” I asked Singh.

“Well, we’ve ripped up the agreement with Justin Trudeau, that speaks for itself. I’ve ripped up the agreement and I know that means an election is now more likely. We will look at every vote as it comes and make a decision as it comes,” Singh said.

He then went on a rant about Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives and how he and Poilievre have competing views for the country and that will frame the next election.

I asked Singh again, “Do you have confidence in the Trudeau government as they stand now?”

He dodged, he equivocated, he refused to answer. I gave him an opportunity to say he had confidence or did not six different times. Other journalists tried as well an no one could get a straight answer.

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Saying you will look at every vote as it comes forward is not the same as whether you have confidence in the government to run the country. Singh has described the Trudeau government in the worst terms, he has said they disappoint Canadians, that they don’t deserve to govern anymore but he would not say he has no confidence in them.

That’s called talking tough but not being willing to back up your words with actions. In essence, until proven otherwise, Singh will remain the boy who cries wolf.

The Trudeau government is so bad and so awful that he keeps voting for them.

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There are practical considerations like the fact that British Columbia’s NDP government is about to go into an election in October. Then there is the Saskatchewan election later that month where the NDP wants to make headway and even, if the stars align, form government.

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And of course, there is Singh’s pension which he won’t be vested in until the new year and that gives him $2.3 million reasons not to vote down the Trudeau government before next spring.

He can’t, however, be taken seriously if he acts in this way. No serious political leader can describe the Trudeau government in the terms he has and still support them.

With each vote to keep Trudeau in power, Singh will lose credibility at a time when he needs it. The Liberals are falling hard and if Singh and the NDP want to overtake them in the next election, being seen as a weak Trudeau lapdog won’t help with voters.

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