Trudeau: NDP “stood aside and watched” as Conservatives blocked progressive legislation

Yesterday at a press conference in St. John’s, Prime Minster of Canada Justin Trudeau was asked about a request reportedly made by NDP leader Jagmeet Singh to Governor General Mary Simon, that she refuse any request for dissolution of Parliament and turn down a call for an election. The Governor General does have this power, but the last time it was used was in 1926.

Trudeau responded with some critical words for the NDP, referencing numerous occasions where the party “stood aside and watched” as the Conservatives tried to block progressive pieces of legislation.

“It’s unfortunate that regularly on important issues — from net-zero legislation, to banning conversion therapy to protect LGBT kids, to moving forward on eliminating mandatory minimums to help communities that are racicalized and more vulnerable or whether it’s moving forward on continuing to firm up the ban on assault weapons — when the Conservatives in the house used every procedural tactic to try and delay, block, and slow things down, the NDP stood aside and watched. They could have stood with us to move forward faster on these important progressive pieces of legislation. But they didn’t.

”So we’ve seen that even during a pandemic, even as we were able to get out historic supports for Canadians, I think Canadians deserve to have governments and parliamentarians focused on them, not focused on politicking. That’s what we’ve been as a government, that’s what we will continue to do every single day.”

—Justin Trudeau

"I think Canadians deserve to have governments & parliamentarians focused on them, not focused on politicking," PM Trudeau told reporters in St. John's when asked re Jagmeet Singh's reported suggestion that Governor General should refuse any request for dissolution of Parliament. pic.twitter.com/WFlb3Cx3PB

— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) July 28, 2021

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