NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he鈥檚 aware pulling his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberals makes an early election 鈥渕ore likely,鈥� but he dropped the deal because Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 鈥渉as let Canadians down.鈥�

Facing questions for the first time Thursday, after making the major announcement Wednesday in a campaign-style video, Singh doubled down on his assertion that the Liberals 鈥渃an鈥檛 deliver change.鈥� 

鈥淲e've got a lot done鈥� but it became very clear to me that Justin Trudeau is too beholden to corporate interests to go further,鈥� Singh said. 鈥淲e know that that makes the election timing more uncertain and, frankly, more likely.鈥� 

He said he thinks Trudeau is 鈥渢oo weak and too selfish to stop Pierre Poilievre,鈥� framing the next election as a choice between the NDP and the Conservatives.

Designed to inject stability in exchange for policy progress when it was inked back in 2022, the two-party pact was set to expire in June 2025, when the House of Commons is to wrap ahead of the next fixed-date election.

Pressed by reporters on why he extracted his party from the deal, and whether Liberals鈥� handling of the recent national rail labour dispute was a factor, Singh said it added to his case. He called it a 鈥渃oncrete example鈥� of Trudeau 鈥渃aving to corporate greed.鈥�

In an interview on 麻豆影视 Channel鈥檚 Power Play with Vassy Kapelos, Singh went a step further, saying the Liberals鈥� overall 鈥渁pproach towards working people鈥� put him off.

鈥淲e always knew that at some point we would have to make this decision, that we weren't going to stay in this forever,鈥� Singh said.

In taking the certainty of NDP support off the table, the Liberals will once again have to look for political support on a case-by-case basis on key votes in the House of Commons in order to stay in power.

As for his intentions when it comes to future confidence votes that could determine when the next federal election is called, Singh said he plans to consider each confidence measure on its merits.

鈥淲e will look at every vote as it comes and make a decision as it comes. I'm not going to presuppose the outcome of a vote before it happens,鈥� he said.

Singh outlines vision of 'hope'

In his opening remarks at the press conference, the NDP leader outlined his 鈥渧ision for Canada.鈥�

Portraying the country as in a place where 鈥渢he Canadian dream is fading,鈥� while 鈥渆lites鈥� are 鈥渂etter off than ever,鈥� Singh said the Conservatives would only make it worse, pitching himself as the only prospective prime minister that would change things.

鈥淭here is a battle ahead of us. The fight for the Canada of our dreams. The fight against Pierre Poilievre and his callous agenda of Conservative cuts. The fight to restore hope. And the promise that working hard gets you a good life. I鈥檓 ready for the fight,鈥� Singh said.

The NDP leader said his party will be offering Canadians an option for a 鈥渉opeful future鈥� while noting the work ahead to convince voters that a New Democrat federal government is possible.

鈥淐ynics will say, 鈥楥anada has never had an NDP government, it鈥檚 not going to happen鈥︹�� We will not let them tell us it can鈥檛 be done,鈥� Singh said. 鈥淏ecause if we are together, nothing is impossible. Big corporations and wealthy CEOs have had their government. It鈥檚 the people鈥檚 time.鈥�

Singh also asserted that he will be the one to lead the New Democrats into the next election, and whenever it comes, they鈥檒l 鈥渂e ready to fight it.鈥�

'Business as usual': Liberal minister

Trudeau has said he plans to stay focused on Canadians and not politics, when Parliament resumes later this month, a message his MPs echoed Thursday.

At a meeting of the Quebec caucus, Liberals said the deal accomplished a lot, but they're focusing on the work ahead.

鈥淚t鈥檚 business as usual,鈥� Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said.

Poilievre, though, is continuing to push for Singh to help him bring down the minority Liberals and force an early vote.

鈥淗e has sold out Canadians. He signed on to a costly coalition with Trudeau鈥� What I鈥檓 saying is stand up for the people who voted for you, vote for a carbon tax election,鈥� he said Thursday.

Though, new Nanos Research numbers indicate Canadians 鈥� polled before the two-party pact fell apart 鈥� may not be interested in an election right now.

鈥淎bout 54 per cent of Canadians are OK with the Liberals and New Democrats working together to avoid an election,鈥� Nanos said. 鈥淵ou can see that people are more likely to tilt towards not having an election at this time.鈥�

Liberals tout big fundraising from deal's demise

As speculation over the timing of the next election heats up, the Liberal Party of Canada said Thursday that it had a banner day for fundraising in the 12 hours after Singh scrapped the deal. 

The party sent a fundraising email 鈥渇rom the desk of Justin Trudeau鈥� with the subject line: 鈥淒isappointing.鈥� In it, Trudeau accuses Singh of doing 鈥渁s he was told鈥� by Poilievre in pulling out of the agreement early, and 鈥渁bandoning progressive policies.鈥�

鈥淚n March 2022, when the agreement was reached, I said that we couldn鈥檛 let our differences stand in the way of delivering what Canadians deserve and need. But clearly, Jagmeet Singh and the NDP disagree,鈥� reads the email.

It goes on to say that this time next year they could be 鈥渄ays into a national campaign,鈥� and asked the party faithful to chip in to be ready for an election that could come 鈥渁t any moment.鈥�

According to the party, the missive was the 鈥渂est fundraising email of 2024 so far.鈥�

Though, the party also took a hit Thursday. The Liberals鈥� national campaign director Jeremy Broadhurst announced he is stepping down, after the upcoming federal byelections. 

With files from 麻豆影视鈥� Mike Le Couteur