Canadian PM Trudeau weakened after key ally withdraws automatic support

Ottawa: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suffered an unexpected blow on Wednesday when the small political party helping keep his minority Liberal government in power withdrew its automatic support, forcing him to strike new alliances to govern.

Dismissing talk of early elections after the left-leaning New Democratic Party pulled its backing, Trudeau vowed to continue governing and pushing through social programs. But the move leaves him reliant on support from other opposition legislators to pass budgets and survive confidence votes.

"An election will come in the coming year, hopefully not until next fall, because in the meantime, we're going to deliver for Canadians," Trudeau told reporters on a stop in Newfoundland and Labrador where he was to talk about school lunch programs when the NDP made its surprise announcement.

"I really hope the NDP stays focuses focused on how we can deliver for Canadians, as we have over the past years, rather than focusing on politics," he said.

In a video, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said he was "ripping up" a deal the two men struck in 2022 and accused Trudeau of not being able to take on the opposition Conservatives. Polls indicate the Conservatives would easily win an election that must be held by end-October 2025.

"The Liberals are too weak, too selfish and too devoted to corporate interests to fight for people. They cannot be the change - they cannot restore the hope," said Singh.

Under the 2022 deal, the NDP agreed to keep Trudeau in power until mid-2025 in return for more social spending. Trudeau first took office in November 2015 and polls suggest he is suffering from voter fatigue.

The same tiredness appears to have spread to the New Democratic Party, which despite successfully pushing the Liberals to introduce measures such as a national dental program are languishing in third place in polls.

Singh is not due to speak to media until Thursday.

A statement from the NDP subsequently said it would decide on an issue-by-issue basis whether to support the Liberals on confidence votes, suggesting it may continue to prop up Trudeau if his fate hung in the balance.

Later this year, the government is due to introduce a fiscal update and an election will be called if that is voted down by legislators.