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