Bachrach supports Singh’s non-confidence threat, calls events in Ottawa this week ‘a sideshow’

Bachrach says many Canadians are struggling and need a government in Ottawa that’s able to meet their needs and make the decisions that they deserve.

All of this comes following Chrystia Freeland’s surprise resignation as finance minister on Monday.

Bachrach also reacted to criticism from Conservative Party Leader Pierre Polievre that the NDP has had multiple chances to bring down the government, but had chosen not to until Friday. He also reacted to the nickname Polievre has created to describe the NDP leader – ‘sellout Singh’.

“Well the Conservatives like to call people names. They like to practice that kind of form of ‘middle finger politics.’ That’s not something I’m going to stoop to. I got into this role to represent my constituents to do right by the communities in our region. And I’m going to keep doing that as long as long as I possibly can.”

Bachrach hesitates to predict what may happen between now and the end of January.

“I think speculating about what the Liberals are going to do has proven a pretty fraught exercise. I don’t spend too much time staying awake at night trying to figure out what Justin Trudeau is going to do or what the Liberals are going to do.”

UNBC Associate Professor of Political Science Dr. Fiona MacDonald says the Liberals do have a few options though, including proroguing Parliament.

“This is part of normal Parliamentary procedure where it calls an end to the existing session. And what that means is that it’s not a temporary break, like a recess or a holiday break but rather a complete break with the current session for a period of time after which a new session of Parliament opens.”

She says that means existing legislation that has not received royal assent is no longer viable although it could be brought back and things like Question Period and other Parliamentary business are also on hold.

MacDonald says it gives government’s a chance to reset, take a break and basically shut things down for a period of time. But she says proroguing Parliament isn’t always popular with the public.

“If the public, and I think it’s very likely, sees it as a political move to save the prime minister’s position, that it is self-serving, this is going to bring even more negative attention.”

She says Trudeau’s other two options right now are either to step down as leader or call an election.

by Greg Fry

Bachrach supports Singh’s non-confidence threat, calls events in Ottawa this week ‘a sideshow’

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