NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is urging federal party leaders to expand Employment Insurance (EI) protections for all workers and hold an emergency parliamentary session before a possible election, as Canada braces for damaging US tariffs put in place by President Donald Trump.
In a Tuesday letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, Singh warned sweeping American tariffs could devastate auto, steel, aluminum, and agricultural industries, risking “hundreds of thousands” of Canadian jobs.
Singh called for immediate cross-party collaboration to shield workers and families from economic fallout.
“We cannot wait until it is too late to act,” said Singh, due to rising living costs and potential layoffs.
He stressed Parliament must be recalled and pass emergency aid before dissolving for an election.
Singh pointed out that cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic as proof parties can “put the country before our respective parties.”
Key demands include overhauling EI to cover more workers, speed up payments, and boost benefit levels.
Singh also pushed for investments in domestic manufacturing, union jobs, and emergency housing funding for projects stalled by tariffs.
While backing retaliatory tariffs against the US, he said all-party support would signal unity against Trump’s “threats to our sovereignty.”
Singh said this moment is a “nation-defining challenge,” urging leaders to mirror public unity sparked by Trump’s trade policies.
He warned delays tied to an election would leave Canadians “vulnerable to suffer for months” without protections.
Singh’s letter did not specify when an election could be called, but emphasized economic supports must be first.
The push comes as experts predict tariffs could inflate prices on goods, worsening affordability crises.
Over 500,000 Canadian jobs linked to the auto and manufacturing sectors face direct risk, according to recent industry estimates.