Statement on the conclusion of the Confidence and Supply Agreement

The President of the Canadian Labour Congress, Bea Bruske, issued the following statement in reaction to the conclusion of the federal Confidence and Supply Agreement between Liberals and New Democrats:

“This agreement was a success. Workers are seeing real, meaningful improvements in their lives because the NDP and the Liberals found common ground in this minority parliament.

I want to thank Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh for their efforts. Their willingness to work across the aisle has led to landmark gains for Canadian workers on dental care, pharmacare, anti-scab legislation, and sustainable jobs.

The end of the Confidence and Supply Agreement does not trigger an election – nor should it.

We need all political leaders to get down to work and prioritize the needs of Canadians over politics. The call for an early election by some politicians, including Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, is driven more by political strategy than by a genuine commitment to addressing the pressing issues that Canadians face today.

In the months to come, Canada’s unions expect their elected representatives to continue to find opportunities to work together on key issues like health care, affordable housing, and economic security.

In particular, we urge the Senate to move quickly to adopt the pharmacare bill so people in Canada have immediate access to free birth control and free diabetic medication and supplies. Canadians have waited too long already.

The current minority parliament has shown that great progress can be made when parties focus on the common good. All leaders need to continue to find ways to work together to ensure a prosperous and inclusive future for all Canadians.”