Singh launches broadside against Poilievre as New Democrats prepare for Parliament's return

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh sharpened his attacks on Pierre Poilievreon Wednesday, accusing theConservative leader of being out of touch with Canadians.

"For Pierre,it's all an act. He pretends to care but doesn't know how regular people live," Singh said in a speech at the start of this week's NDP caucus retreat.

Singh laid into Poilievre for opposingthe federal government's newdental care program, noting that as a long-serving Ottawa MP, the opposition leader"has had government-funded dental care for almost all his adult life."

The subsidized dental care plan was a key element of the Liberal-NDP supply and confidence agreement, which has shielded the minority Liberal government from the risk ofan early election.

Singh also needledPoilievre for calling a three bedroom home in Ontario "a shack" while helives in a "government-funded mansion." Like the prime minister, Poilievre lives in anofficial residencemanaged by the National Capital Commission.

Singh's attacks on Poilievre come as polling shows support for the Conservatives rising at the Liberals' expense. Poilievre marks his first year as Conservative Party leader on Sunday.

The Conservative leader has staked out positions in two policy areas theNDPconsiders home turf: the cost of living and the cost of housing. The NDP and Conservatives also compete for many rural swing ridings in British Columbia and Ontario.

The party seems acutely aware of the threat it faces from Conservatives which explains the aggressive tone of Singh's speech and the party's recent launch of its "Blue-Orange Battleground Fund," which is meant to help put NDP candidates in tight races with Conservatives over the top.

"(Poilievre) claims to care about working people, but you will never see Pierre Poilievre fighting alongside workers for higher wages," Singh said.

Singh and his caucusvisiteda picket line outside Hydro Ottawa on Wednesday. About 400 workers with theInternational Brotherhood of Electrical WorkersLocal 636 in the nation's capital walked off the job in June.

Fall economic statement must focus on housing: NDP

The housing crisis is high on the NDP's agenda for the caucus retreat.

NDP caucus chair and housing critic Jenny Kwan said New Democrats will use their leverage with the Liberals to ensure the government'sfall economic statement promises swiftactiononthe housing crisis.

"We need ...real commitments in the fall economic statement for the government to understand the crisis that is there with respect to the housing situation," Kwan said.

The housing crisis will be high on the agendawhen the New Democratcaucus meets in Ottawa today ahead of what's expected to be a busy parliamentary sitting.

No date has been announced for the release of the fall economic statement, which provides a snapshot of government spending and the outlook for the Canadian economy. Suchstatements also can contain new spending measures.

Kwan said the NDP will press the Liberals to expand the not-for-profit housing market and build more housing co-operatives. She said New Democratsalso will pressure the federal government to change the initiatives that accompany the national housing strategy, which she said have not been "particularly effective."

The federal NDPcurrently holds the balance of power in the House of Commons. The Liberal minority government relies on New Democrats' votesto passlegislation through a formal agreement that both parties signed.

Underthe terms of that confidence-and-supply agreement, the NDPagreed to support key government legislation in exchange forthe Liberals advancinga number of NDPpolicy priorities.

WATCH |NDP to use deal with Liberals to 'force' more action on housing, Singh says

NDP to use deal with Liberals to 'force' more action on housing, Singh says

1 year ago

Duration 10:38

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told Power & Politics Tuesday that his party is going to use the supply and confidence agreement to "force" the Liberal government to take more action on affordable housing. He says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn't understand the seriousness of the housing crisis.

Nineteen months after that agreement was signed, the federal government has yet to pass an "anti-scab"law to ban the use of replacementworkers during labour disputes in federally regulated workplaces one of the items the NDP demanded.

The Trudeau government also has not yet tabled a Canada Pharmacare Act Singh has said failing to pass the bill by the end of the year could be a deal-breaker and has not met NDP demands fora bulk drug purchasing plan and a national drugformulary.

The New Democrats also are calling on the government to expand its subsidized dental care program for low-income kids to coverthose under age 18, seniors and persons with disabilities.

The rising cost of livingwill also be on the agenda during this week's caucus retreat, which comes as the country inches closer to a federal election.

Weighing the NDP's election readiness

TheNDP'sfundraising effortsstill lagfar behind those of other major parties, saidpolling analystandpublisher of The Writric Grenier.

"The NDP doesn't have a lot of money they can spend outside an election period," he said.

New Democrats have raised $2.6 million so far this year a far cry from the $6.8 million raised by the Liberals or the $16.2 million collected by the Conservatives.

Polling support for the federal NDP appears stagnant. Grenier said this indicatesthat while theparty's gamble on propping up the Liberal government hasn't cost it much support, ithasn't been able to expand its base either.

"The New Democrats have been able to hold their supportbut they are not growing it," hesaid.

With itsflat polling numbersand sluggishfundraising, he said, the NDP likely is in no mood to trigger an election.

"They probably have more to lose than to gain," Grenier said.

Liberals appear toshare that reluctance. An Aug. 25 Abacus poll suggests the Liberals are 12 points behind the Conservatives nationally.

Liberalsources told Radio-Canada the party is now talking about an election infall 2024 or spring 2025at the earliest.

Sources tell Radio-Canada that the NDP is now trying to secure additional concessions including housing and cost-of-living commitments in exchange for its continued support.

Singhis expectedtokick off this week's caucus meeting with an address that will be open to the media.