Liberal strategist Jacqueline Biollo says both the NDP and Liberals have good reasons for the agreement that could maintain the Trudeau government until 2025, but says internal strife and an offended electorate are potential pitfalls..“Risks are high, as Canadian voters aren’t sticking with the same party every election like they used to,” Biollo tells the Western Standard..“Undecided voters may feel this agreement usurps democracy, infringing upon the electorate’s ability to vote for a party that aligns with their values or priority issues such as jobs, the economy, climate action, and healthcare.”.In the longer term, the effect of two parties being in lockstep on certain aspects of the agreement might bother some voters, Biollo says. She says they’ll think for themselves regarding how the Emergencies Act was implemented or any other aspect of what results the government brings to Canadians..“This agreement likely won’t change the way Canadians scrutinize the success and sustainability of various platform initiatives the Liberals campaigned on pre-pandemic or how they viewed Prime Minister Trudeau’s ability to lead Canadians through the pandemic. The Liberal government would do well to remind Canadians how they responded to produce greater economic accountability, improved the welfare for families, increased support for businesses, and allocated incentives and consequences for climate action initiatives,” says Biollo, who also works at Concordia University of Edmonton..The Liberal-NDP arrangement was announced, leadership hopefuls Jean Charest and Pierre Poilievre each cast themselves as the right one to lead Conservatives against the new political alignment. Poilievre said he was the “only leader” who could rally enough pressure on the government to make backbench MPs topple the government early. Charest called the agreement a “juvenile” move that would cause division and said he was the one who could bring mature leadership to reunite the country..Despite Poilievre and Charest’s positioning, Biollo doesn’t think the Liberal-NDP deal will substantively change how leadership hopefuls portray themselves or what Conservative Party members would look for..“Regardless of who the next leader of the Conservative party will be, they will likely continue to champion how they are a strong alternative, reintroduce their platform priorities as the best for Canadians, and try to unleash their power to increase support. Supporters will likely be looking for a leader who can provide a clear vision, build a cohesive party, take strategic risks, and exercise disciplined initiative.”.Unlike Charest, Biollo does not believe the NDP-Liberal agreement is “juvenile.” The principal for Aurora Strategy Group sees clear strategic strengths for both parties if they handle the arrangement and its portrayal well..“The Liberals gain the benefit of collaborating on issues based on the priority preferences of a larger base without the need to solicit support aggressively. This agreement could strengthen the core power base, enhancing the Liberal’s potential to gain attention and affect change. They will regain the confidence to secure the resources to achieve platform priorities.” Biollo says..“The NDP will be strategic and seek collaborative resolution to broaden their base of support and trust. The NDP gain the confidence of knowing that the leader, Jagmeet Singh, is a strong negotiator with a win-win mindset. He has shown his ability to lean toward creating value and strategizing to reach mutually beneficial outcomes for the party and Canadians.”.Anonymous sources told the CBC that when the deal was announced to the Liberal caucus on Zoom, some Liberal MPs questioned why a deal was made when there was no imminent threat to take down the government. Biollo says if the two sides don’t work well together, the arrangement could fail..“Party loyalists may not be willing to rise above their feelings of distinctiveness to actively collaborate in a spirit of mutual understanding, patience, and flexibility with their political counterparts,” Biollo says..Lee Harding is a contributor to Western Standard based in Saskatchewan.
