MP Albas wants to know fine-print of Liberal & NDP CASA

On Tuesday morning, Justin Trudeau and Jagmeet Singh held press conferences to announce that their two parties had reached a Confidence and Supply Agreement (CASA), which in principal should keep the Liberals in power through 2025.

The agreement is similar in nature to the one between the B.C. NDP and Green Party following the 2017 election. However, that agreement was ended early by Premier John Horgan leading to the last provincial election and a NDP majority mandate.

“Last time I checked Canadians didn’t vote for a NDP Government and this is quite frankly a power grab by Justin Trudeau. Canadians deserve to know what this backroom deal will cost them, they need to know what this agreement entails. This is ultimately secrecy, not accountability, and more about power, not democracy,” stated Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola Conservative MP Dan Albas.

Under the CASA the NDP will support the Liberals on confidence motions and budgets in exchange for movement on some of their key priorities like Pharmacare and Dental care.

“I wanted to talk about gas prices today. Canadians deserve a break at the pumps, we have proposed a temporary GST reductions of 5% of gasoline and diesel. It’s hurting our senior, it’s hurting our commuters. And the Government has done nothing by give lip service to inflation. That’s what we should be talking about. Instead they;’re talking about how do we take power, how do we act like we have a majority, a false majority by landing this deal with Jagmeet Singh,” added Albas.

The local MP also wants to know if the new agreement will see the NDP strike down any parliamentary committees around ethics and spending.

“That’s not good governance if the NDP have basically sold their soul so that they can achieve some things. Now it’s up to them to justify the means to their supporters. Again, what is in the deal, and is this giving Mr. Trudeau a free ride of accountability,” said Albas.