This summer, conversations have intensified between the Liberal government and the New Democratic Party, as NDP strategists seek to extract more concessions from the Liberals under the agreement linking the two parties.

A source in the New Democratic Party commented: "[The Liberals] do not want to head to elections, and that is evident." During the summer break, exchanges between the two sides doubled. While Justin Trudeau's forces face a noticeable decline in opinion polls, the NDP is trying to hold its ground.

Knowing that the Liberals' "appetite" for holding elections over the next year is waning, the NDP seeks to leverage the political context. In 2022, the two parties reached an agreement ensuring government stability until 2025.

Behind the scenes, Jagmeet Singh's party is trying to secure additional commitments regarding housing and the cost of living in exchange for ongoing support, particularly the renewal of the goods and services tax credit for the most vulnerable Canadians is especially on the table in anticipation of the fall economic statement. The two parties are also discussing necessary measures to build more affordable housing faster.

Exchanges between the two formations are not new, but they have intensified in recent weeks, as the NDP is not seeking a new version of the agreement, but certainly wants to achieve more than was initially agreed upon.

This agreement specifically calls for the establishment of a fund to accelerate housing construction and the implementation of a buyers' rights charter and a complement to Canadian housing benefits in 2022.

The New Democrats recognize there is a political cost to joining the Liberal government, which has led them to seek gains to present to Canadians in the upcoming federal elections.

But for now, it seems that the NDP holds the upper hand. A source from the New Democratic Party states, "We feel that the Liberals want our support to last longer."

Within the ranks of the Canadian Liberal Party, a poll conducted by Abacus, released on August 25, showed that the Liberals lag behind the Conservatives by 12 percentage points nationally.

Just a few months ago, the Liberals were quick to mention spring 2024 as the first window for holding elections. Today, enthusiasm is not what it was, as many reliable Liberal sources have spoken of fall 2024 or spring 2025 as the closest scenarios for elections.