At a news conference in Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that his Liberal government has reached an agreement with the New Democratic Party. The NDP has confirmed the deal, expected to last for three years, that will see the federal New Democrats support the Liberals on confidence votes in the House of Commons. Trudeau calls it ‘A Supply and Confidence Agreement’.

Leader of the Conservatives, Candice Bergen, issued a statement and suggests Trudeau knows he is losing the confidence of Canadians in the face of rising inflation, out of control cost of living and issues around national unity.

Bergen says, “Canadians did not vote for an NDP government. This is little more than backdoor socialism. Trudeau is truly polarizing politics which is what he likes.”

In 2004, the Conservatives, then led by Stephen Harper, who was accused of trying to form a coalition government with the Bloc Quebecois and NDP in an effort to become Prime Minister without holding an election, by ousting the Liberals. The deal between the three parties didn’t hold up. The 2006 election saw Stephen Harper become Prime Minister. Subsequently, in 2008 and 2010, Harper had the Governor General prorogue parliament twice to presumably avoid a vote of non-confidence.