New Democratic Party leader Don Davies is calling on fellow MPs to take his party seriously, despite the NDP falling short of official party status under federal rules. Blacklock's Reporter says with seven seats in a minority Parliament where the governing Liberals are just three votes shy of a majority, Davies argued yesterday that the NDP holds the balance of power and should not be dismissed.“In a minority Parliament where the government has 169 seats and needs three more for a majority, any party that has seven seats obviously has a balance of power,” said Davies. “I think we are going to be able to play a profoundly important role in this Parliament.”Current legislation — the Parliament of Canada Act — requires a party to hold at least 12 seats to be officially recognized. Without that threshold, parties forgo increased budgets, research support, and committee roles. The NDP, with only seven MPs elected, falls below the mark.Still, Davies emphasized the legitimacy of his party’s mandate. “This is a new Parliament and we are very anxious as new democrats to bring the voices of the 1.2 million Canadians who voted for us to this place,” he said. “We will champion the priorities we heard from working people.”When questioned about the party’s ability to influence decisions without official status, Davies pointed to the NDP’s voting power. “Well, we have seven votes,” he said, indicating ongoing discussions with other parties about committee representation.“We are a national party,” he added. “We had 1.2 million Canadians vote for us and it’s important we have the tools we need to function and discharge that responsibility.”Despite Davies’ appeals, the governing Liberals appear unmoved. Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon stated clearly there are no plans to grant the NDP official status, reiterating the legal requirement of 12 MPs.“The law requires 12 members to have recognized party status,” MacKinnon said when pressed by reporters on whether an exception could be made. “Can I make exceptions to the law?”Davies, undeterred, said the NDP would continue to do its work with or without additional resources. “We are going to do our job no matter what as new democrats,” he said. “But if we have the tools we need in order to participate more fully in the legislative process, I think that’s better for our Parliament.”Asked how the party would respond if denied those resources, Davies replied, “I am not going to negotiate in public.”
