Canada sees Liberal ties with the NDP under strain

Significance

The confidence and supply agreement reached between the two parties in March, when the NDP was very much the junior party, has appeared less secure recently as the NDP presses the Liberal government to take specific steps to help Canadians cope with the cost of living.

Impacts

• The Liberal government is unlikely to make progress on key policy priorities before the end of 2022.
• The NDP will reassess the benefits of being seen to sustain a Liberal government whose popularity is unlikely to increase.
• The dental plan that the NDP is pushing for will strain Ottawa’s relations with the provinces over healthcare funding and provision.