Jagmeet Singh says NDP will back Liberals in non-confidence vote

Days after pulling out of a deal to prop up Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Thursday his MPs will vote to support the Liberal government in next week's non-confidence motion vote — which, if adopted, would trigger a federal election.

That Conservative motion is headed for all but certain defeat now that both the NDP and Bloc Québécois have said they will stand against Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's attempt to force an early election — even though both Singh and Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet have said they have misgivings about Trudeau.

«New Democrats came to Ottawa to get stuff done, to work for people, to fight for people, not to play Pierre Poilievre's games,» Singh said.

«We're not going to let Pierre Poilievre tell us what to do.»

Singh said Poilievre and the Conservatives must be stopped because they could cut social programs, pensions and health care if elected.

But Singh also said Tuesday that the Liberals are «finished» and he told his caucus Wednesday that the Liberals and Trudeau «don't deserve another chance.»

When announcing the termination of the supply-and-confidence agreement earlier this month, Singh said Trudeau is beholden to «corporate greed» and has repeatedly «let Canadians down» while in office.

Asked why he is supporting a prime minister he has described so unfavourably, Singh said that while Trudeau has been bad, «Poilievre would be even worse.»

Singh said the NDP is building a «movement» to win the next election.

«I'm here to become the next prime minister,» Singh said. «In the next election, people have a choice.»

Singh said he could bring down the government in the coming weeks, adding he will decide how to vote on non-confidence motions on a