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NDP leader Jagmeet Singh holds a press conference on Parliament Hill amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Monday May 25, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

NDP makes support for suspending Commons contingent on permanent sick leave

The Liberals over the weekend proposed to waive ‘normal’ House of Commons

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Federal New Democrats say they want to see real action from the Liberal government on permanent paid sick leave and support for people with disabilities before they will support a plan to continue suspending full House of Commons sittings.

The Liberals over the weekend proposed to waive “normal” House of Commons sittings in favour of expanding the special COVID-19 committee that has acted as a sort of stand-in for the past month.

Because they hold only a minority of seats, the Liberals need the support of at least one of the main opposition parties to pass this motion.

The Conservatives are pushing for an end to the COVID-19 committee and the resumption of normal House of Commons sittings, albeit with no more than 50 MPs in the chamber at any time.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party is willing to support Liberals’ motion.

However, he says that support is contingent on the Liberals’ expanding the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to provide paid sick leave to all Canadians in the short term and a commitment to work with the provinces to provide permanent benefits even after the pandemic.

The Canadian Press