Conservative MP Shannon Stubbs says NDP-Liberal coalition agreement is a power grab

Conservative MP Shannon Stubbs from the Lakeland says that the recent NDP-Liberal coalition agreement is a power grab by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Individual NDP MPs are now effectively the equivalent of a Liberal backbencher.

“Last year, the Liberals called an expensive and unnecessary election solely for the Prime Minister’s selfish aim to secure a majority government,” MP Stubbs said. “Canadians rejected this cynical ploy and elected a Liberal minority with four distinct Opposition parties.

This week, the Liberals and NDP announced a deal to effectively establish a majority government to keep power, and betrayed their respective voters, Stubbs added.

“It’s obvious that the NDP has been propping up the Liberals’ tax and spend, anti-energy, anti-rural, anti-private sector and anti-freedom agenda since 2019,” Stubbs said. “But their capitulation to the Prime Minister’s power grab makes it official.”

Stubbs says NDP voters can be forgiven for questioning the NDP’s ability to fulfill its obligations as an Opposition party, now that it has agreed to support the government on all major votes of confidence and budget decisions.

Individual NDP MPs are now effectively the equivalent of Liberal backbenchers, so Conservatives question whether they should continue to participate in Question Period, in committees, or in bill debates, the same way as members of the Official Opposition or other Opposition parties do, Stubbs explained.

“I believe Canadians do want MPs of all parties to seek common ground and to work together wherever possible to serve the best interests of Canadians,” Stubbs said. “Canadians also want Opposition MPs to be committed to fulfilling the core duty of holding the government to account, and to making decisions about the federal budget and major legislation based on merit, on principles, and on what is presented.”

Stubbs said Canadians do not want a backroom deal that gives a carte blanche to the Liberals and is designed mainly to expand and maintain political power.

“The Liberals and NDP have of course been united in racking up Canada’s national debt and deficit and hiking taxes which is causing soaring inflation and prices across the country, while making life more difficult and less affordable for rural communities, farm families, and workers
in the energy sector,” Stubbs explained. “They are united in wanting to end the oil and gas sector in Canada, and to keeping Canada landlocked and partially dependent on foreign oil, which makes no sense for a country with among the largest oil and gas reserves, and the most responsible development in the world.”

Stubbs would like to let the voters know in Canada that even before their formal power grab pact was made public, they united to defeat a
Conservative motion in the House of Commons to secure Canada’s energy self-sufficiency.

“The people of Lakeland and all Canadians can see clearly that the Prime Minister’s priority is more about seizing his own power than it is about making life more affordable for Canadians when more than half worry they won’t have enough money to put food on their tables because of inflation caused by the Liberals’ excessive deficit spending,” Stubbs said. “I will continue to do my job to advocate for the Lakeland, and to fulfill my duty as a member of an effective Official Opposition.”