Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre on Thursday challenged New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh to dissolve the minority 44th Parliament and call for a fall election, accusing Singh of prolonging the current session to secure his MP pension.“Canadians cannot afford another painful, costly, chaotic, and corrupt year of Justin Trudeau,” Poilievre declared to reporters. “He will not quit. He must be fired.”Blacklock's Reporter says Poilievre placed the responsibility squarely on Singh, stating, “The person to do it is Jagmeet Singh.” Singh’s New Democrats have been supporting the Liberal government under a Supply and Confidence Agreement that is set to expire on June 30, 2025.“He joined to keep Trudeau in power so that he could get his pension,” Poilievre alleged, suggesting that Singh is intentionally delaying the election until after February next year to qualify for his MP pension.“Canadians are calling him Sell-Out Singh,” Poilievre continued. “My message to Sell-Out Singh is this: Put the people ahead of your pension. Break the costly coalition with Trudeau to trigger a carbon tax election where Canadians can choose.”MPs are required to serve a minimum of six years from the date of their election to qualify for benefits under the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act. The average annual pension benefit is $77,900, according to the most recent Annual Report to Parliament.“Jagmeet Singh, stop selling out the workers, stop being Sell-Out Singh,” Poilievre urged. “Put the people ahead of your pension. Vote for a carbon tax election now.”.New Democrat House Leader MP Peter Julian (New Westminster-Burnaby, B.C.) responded, stating that the possibility of an early election before June 30, 2025, is still on the table. “Leaving the deal is always on the table for Jagmeet Singh,” said Julian.“Let’s be clear,” Julian added. “Pierre Poilievre wants to win an election because he wants to cut health care, cut your pension, and cut Employment Insurance in order to give more to big corporations.”Singh had previously indicated that he believed voters were “done with Trudeau” but remained committed to the terms of the Supply and Confidence Agreement, which is crucial for passing legislation in the minority government, requiring 24 New Democrat votes.“They are frustrated with Trudeau,” Singh said on June 27. “They are done with Trudeau, and they are frustrated with the Liberal Party, and they have got reason to be.”Singh’s comments came after a June 24 by-election in the long-time Liberal riding of Toronto-St. Paul’s, which saw voters elect a Conservative MP for the first time since 1988. The NDP’s vote share in the riding was halved, despite the district’s provincial representative being a New Democrat.“I think what that by-election showed is how frustrated Canadians are with Liberals, really,” Singh said. “This is a clear message, that people are frustrated like they were saying at the doorsteps. We hear this again and again. Things are getting worse, not better.”
Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre on Thursday challenged New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh to dissolve the minority 44th Parliament and call for a fall election, accusing Singh of prolonging the current session to secure his MP pension.“Canadians cannot afford another painful, costly, chaotic, and corrupt year of Justin Trudeau,” Poilievre declared to reporters. “He will not quit. He must be fired.”Blacklock's Reporter says Poilievre placed the responsibility squarely on Singh, stating, “The person to do it is Jagmeet Singh.” Singh’s New Democrats have been supporting the Liberal government under a Supply and Confidence Agreement that is set to expire on June 30, 2025.“He joined to keep Trudeau in power so that he could get his pension,” Poilievre alleged, suggesting that Singh is intentionally delaying the election until after February next year to qualify for his MP pension.“Canadians are calling him Sell-Out Singh,” Poilievre continued. “My message to Sell-Out Singh is this: Put the people ahead of your pension. Break the costly coalition with Trudeau to trigger a carbon tax election where Canadians can choose.”MPs are required to serve a minimum of six years from the date of their election to qualify for benefits under the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act. The average annual pension benefit is $77,900, according to the most recent Annual Report to Parliament.“Jagmeet Singh, stop selling out the workers, stop being Sell-Out Singh,” Poilievre urged. “Put the people ahead of your pension. Vote for a carbon tax election now.”.New Democrat House Leader MP Peter Julian (New Westminster-Burnaby, B.C.) responded, stating that the possibility of an early election before June 30, 2025, is still on the table. “Leaving the deal is always on the table for Jagmeet Singh,” said Julian.“Let’s be clear,” Julian added. “Pierre Poilievre wants to win an election because he wants to cut health care, cut your pension, and cut Employment Insurance in order to give more to big corporations.”Singh had previously indicated that he believed voters were “done with Trudeau” but remained committed to the terms of the Supply and Confidence Agreement, which is crucial for passing legislation in the minority government, requiring 24 New Democrat votes.“They are frustrated with Trudeau,” Singh said on June 27. “They are done with Trudeau, and they are frustrated with the Liberal Party, and they have got reason to be.”Singh’s comments came after a June 24 by-election in the long-time Liberal riding of Toronto-St. Paul’s, which saw voters elect a Conservative MP for the first time since 1988. The NDP’s vote share in the riding was halved, despite the district’s provincial representative being a New Democrat.“I think what that by-election showed is how frustrated Canadians are with Liberals, really,” Singh said. “This is a clear message, that people are frustrated like they were saying at the doorsteps. We hear this again and again. Things are getting worse, not better.”
