What's next for Singh and his broken political pact with Trudeau?

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh may hold the key to trigger the next election now that he's axed his political pact with the Liberals, but strategists say that could prove to be both an asset and a liability.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh may hold the key to trigger the next election now that he's axed his political pact with the Liberals, but strategists say that could prove to be both an asset and a liability.

Singh put an end to the deal the Liberals have relied on since 2022 to keep their minority government from toppling, but he has not signalled plans to vote to bring down that government before the next scheduled election.

The party deliberately spread word that the end of the deal does not mean an election is looming, but that each vote would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Singh would not take any questions after announcing the news in a video on social media Wednesday, but is expected to hold a press conference Thursday in Toronto.

The decision comes as the Conservatives lead both the Liberals and the NDP in the polls, and Singh tries to position himself as the only viable alternative to Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre.

The NDP will likely want some runway to differentiate themselves from the Liberals before the next election, said Mélanie Richer, Singh's former director of communications and a principal with Earnscliffe Strategies.

"I think they really need to spend the next year talking to those voters who are looking for change in a way that's a little bit less close to the government, that shows the concrete things that they've been able to do to make people's lives better," she said.