Canada's NDP Commits to Help Bring Down Trudeau-Led Minority Government — 2nd Update

By Paul Vieira

OTTAWA-The near future of the Justin Trudeau-led minority Liberal government is in perilous territory after its onetime ally in Parliament, Canada's New Democratic Party, said it is prepared to take down the administration in a non-confidence vote.

The NDP issued its declaration Friday, moments before Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau was set to reveal a revamped cabinet, as he reflects on his future following the shock resignation this week of his finance minister and trusted ally Chrystia Freeland. This now suggests all three main opposition parties - including the Conservative Party and Bloc Quebecois - are now on board to defeat the government at the earliest possible time when parliament resumes in late January after a winter break.

"The Liberals don't deserve another chance. That's why the NDP will vote to bring this government down, and give Canadians a chance to vote for a government who will work for them," said Jagmeet Singh, the NDP Leader. "No matter who is leading the Liberal Party, this government's time is up."

The governing Liberals and the NDP previously had a political accord in which the NDP agreed to help Trudeau pass legislation and help him survive possible non-confidence votes, in which the opposition can trigger an election by defeating the government. The NDP scuttled the accord in the fall but the NDP had supported Trudeau on key votes.

Earlier this week, Singh had called on Trudeau to step down but didn't commit to help the other two opposition parties defeat the Liberals in a non-confidence vote.

Trudeau on Friday attended a ceremony at Ottawa's Rideau Hall in which Liberal lawmakers were sworn in to new cabinet positions. The shuffle involves 12 portfolios, with eight new Liberal lawmakers joining the cabinet.

But the biggest change came Monday, after Freeland abruptly quit as finance minister, citing policy differences with the prime minister. She resigned the same day she was supposed to deliver a fall economic statement. Following her resignation, a number of Liberal Party lawmakers have called on Trudeau to step down.

Neither Trudeau nor his office have issued a statement regarding Freeland's departure and her resignation letter, in which she warned the government's policy direction was misguided.

Anita Anand, named Friday as Canada's transport minister, said Friday she spoke to Trudeau a few times this week, and she believes it is a time "to stand united in the facing of the incoming American presidency, [and] the growing threat to our domestic economy." She was referring to President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to impose a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico unless the countries fortify border security to limit the flow of migrants and illegal drugs into the U.S.

"We absolutely support the prime minister. We are a united front," said Ginette Petitpas Taylor, named Friday as president of the Treasury Board, which is responsible for day-to-day public-sector administration.

Political analysts say the cabinet shuffle is irrelevant given the NDP's declaration.

"The prime minister can't stay," said Scott Reid, a former senior aide to Former Prime Minister Paul Martin and political commentator. He told Canada's CTV News that the NDP's vow means "he has to step down, because of the galvanizing reality that there will be an election."

An election must be held no later than October of next year, but it could happen earlier should the government be defeated in the legislature. The Liberals have trailed the Conservative Party for about 20 percentage points for more than a year in most public-opinion polls. And according to polling released Friday from the Angus Reid Institute, Trudeau's net approval rating sits at 28%.

Write to Paul Vieira at Paul.Vieira@wsj.com