Yesterday, the NDP announced that it will pull out of the Supply and Confidence Agreement it signed with the Liberal government in 2022. The agreement was scheduled to run for another eight months, but as NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said: “Justin Trudeau has proven again and again he will always cave to corporate greed. The Liberals have let people down. They don’t deserve another chance.”

The Liberals imposing binding arbitration against rail workers represented by Teamsters was just the latest example.  

Over the past two years, the agreement delivered the greatest expansion of the social safety net in a generation, along with significant improvements to the Canada Labour Code. Thanks to Jagmeet and the NDP, Canadians now have:

  • 10 days of sick leave for workers under federal jurisdiction
  • Federal anti-scab legislation
  • The Childcare Act and funding for $10-day childcare ($30 billion over five years)
  • Additional investments in public health care ($25 billion over 10 years)
  • The Pharmacare Act and funding to cover contraceptives and diabetes treatment
  • Funding for dental care ($13 billion over 5 years)
  • Investment in housing construction ($82 billion over 10 years)

Many of these changes were long-standing demands of the labour movement. These improvements were only possible because the NDP, a true ally of the labour movement, forced the Liberals to deliver on these commitments.

The Conservative Party is the party who always wants to invest less in workers, and more in corporate tax cuts. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has signaled his intent to eliminate programs and cut investments in public services should he form the next government.

We cannot let this happen. We must move forward, not backwards. The agreement was a win for workers, but there is more to do. CUPE will continue to push for policies that improve and expand public services, and we will vehemently oppose any effort to claw back these newly created programs that millions of people in Canada have already benefited from. At a time when the cost of living is already too high, it is crucial that we can all access good quality services when we need them.

Elections are crucial to determine whether we will have allies or opponents in government when we push for pro-worker policies. The Conservatives have promised to undo almost everything we have accomplished in the last few years. By electing more New Democrats to the House of Commons in the next election, we will have more people fighting to defend and build on our achievements.