Liberals, NDP leadership have tentative deal to support Trudeau government to 2025

The leadership of the Liberals and the NDP have reached a tentative agreement that would see the NDP support the Liberal government to keep it in power until 2025 in exchange for movement on key NDP priorities, CBC News has learned.

The so-called confidence-and-supply agreement still needs the support of NDP MPs who are meeting late Monday night, according to multiple sources who spoke to CBC News on condition they not be named due to the sensitive nature of the discussions.

The agreement would see the NDP back the Liberals in confidence votes, including the next four budgets. In return, the Liberals will follow through on some elements of national pharmacare and dental care programs — programs that have long been promoted by the NDP.

Sources say the agreement would also see the two parties collaborate on parliamentary committees, as well as some pieces of legislation.

The deal does not involve the NDP joining cabinet.

Sources tell CBC News that the Liberal cabinet also met this evening virtually, followed by the Liberal caucus.

In the Liberal virtual caucus meeting, which was marred by technical difficulties, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced questions from some MPs who were concerned about why the deal was needed without the threat of an election on the horizon, sources told CBC News.

Liberal MPs were not told the reason for the last-minute caucus meeting, sources said.

Under a "confidence-and-supply" agreement, an opposition party agrees to support the government on specific measures under specific conditions, and to not vote to defeat the government for a period of time.

British Columbia's NDP government made a similar deal with the province's Greens in 2017.

It differs from a formal coalition arrangement. In a coalition, typically, two or more parties share the responsibility of governing, with each party represented in cabinet.

Sources say discussions between the two parties began soon after the September 2021 election. The Liberals reached out to the NDP to find a way to collaborate on policy and allow the Liberals to stay in power.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has scheduled a news conference for Tuesday morning to "discuss how the NDP is fighting for the help Canadians need to take care of themselves and their families."

Conservative Leader Candice Bergen issued a statement late Monday saying the deal "is nothing more than a callous attempt by Trudeau to hold on to power."