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The federal NDP will not receive official party status in the House of Commons following its steep losses in last month’s federal election, Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon confirmed, according to CTV News.
“The law is clear,” MacKinnon said. “A party needs at least 12 seats to be recognized.” The New Democrats, reduced to just seven MPs, fall short of that requirement.
Interim NDP leader Don Davies said he had spoken with the Prime Minister’s Office in hopes of negotiating status for the diminished party. He pointed to examples from provincial legislatures where exceptions were made to ensure opposition voices had formal recognition.
Without official party status, the NDP will not have guaranteed participation in question period, will lose committee seats, and will miss out on funding allocated to recognized parties.
The NDP previously lost official status following the 1993 election but regained it in 1997. Davies said the party intends to keep pushing for a role in Parliament, despite the setback.
The election was a major turning point for the NDP, including the loss of party leader Jagmeet Singh’s Vancouver-area seat. Singh announced he will resign as leader once an interim replacement is named.
“It’s been the honor of my life to represent the people of Burnaby Central. Tonight they chose a new member of Parliament and I wish them well,” Singh told supporters during his concession speech. Holding back tears, he added, “I worked really hard to be worthy of this trust, to live up to the legacy of this movement.”
Singh had led the party for nearly eight years, playing a role in national politics. Most notably, he supported multiple Liberal governments through confidence and supply agreements, a pseudo-coalition government propping up the Trudeau and Carney administrations.
On election night, Singh called on the newly elected Prime Minister to resist external pressure. “He must protect our country and its sovereignty from the threats of Donald Trump,” Singh said.
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