for the sake of stability
Canada's Trudeau strikes deal keeping him in power until 2025
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has struck a deal with the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) to keep his minority, ruling Liberal Party government in power until 2025, Politico and Reuters report.
Trudeau on Tuesday shared news of the pact, which will see the NDP vote alongside Liberals "on shared objectives until the House of Commons rises in June 2025," Politico writes. Such a "rare agreement" could permit the prime minister's minority government to last the entire four-year term, Reuters writes, per Trudeau.
"What this means is that during this uncertain time, the government can function with predictability and stability, present and implement budgets, and get things done for Canadians," the prime minister remarked of the deal, adding that he had "thought long and hard about this."
The so-called "supply and confidence agreement" has the two parties aligned on certain priorities and objectives, like a national dental-care program for low-income Canadians, and a plan to phase out financing fossil fuels in 2022, Reuters reports.
"We have a document ... that will be used to analyze and verify the government's actions," said New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh to reporters. "We will use our power to help people."
Not everyone is happy, however — Opposition Conservative leader Candice Bergen denounced the deal as "nothing more than a Justin Trudeau power grab" that could lead to "the decimation" of Canada's oil and gas sector. She said the prime minister had "hoodwinked" and "deceived" his country.