Jagmeet Singh Declines to Play Pierre Poilievre’s “Political Minesweeper” Game, Prefers to Wait for Dental Benefits Instead

Edmonton — In what could only be described as a classic “poker face” moment, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh threw cold water on the Conservatives’ latest attempt to instigate a non-confidence motion in the Liberal government, despite the fact that the motion quotes his own criticisms of said government.

Singh, who recently dubbed the Liberals as “too weak, too selfish, and too beholden to corporate interests,” wasn’t exactly lining up to take credit for Poilievre’s political firestorm.

“It will probably come as no surprise that I’m not going to play [Conservative Leader] Pierre Poilievre’s games,” Singh said with a grin that could only be described as one part polite and two parts strategic. Poilievre, for his part, has clearly been attempting to capitalize on the fact that Singh himself has been trash-talking the Liberals for months. But Singh was having none of it.

In a dramatic turn of events, the Conservative motion calls on the House to declare its lack of confidence in the government while simultaneously acknowledging that Singh’s criticism of the Liberals is absolutely spot on. If passed, this motion could trigger a federal election, which — let’s be real here — would likely cause more chaos than a reality TV star running for president (oh wait, that’s already happened).

Despite the seemingly perfect opportunity to get into a political showdown with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Singh had other plans. “I want to actually have dental care expanded. I want to see more people actually start to benefit from the pharmacare we passed,” Singh said, referring to his party’s previous agreement with the Liberals on these programs. So, while the Conservative Party is out there playing political Minesweeper, Singh is hanging out in the corner, quietly making sure millions of Canadians get their teeth fixed.

The dental care program is expected to roll out in 2025, and Singh, looking unusually patient for a politician, seems oddly confident that this particular victory is worth more than a headline-grabbing election battle. Pharmacare, too, is on the horizon, with promises to cover diabetes medication and contraceptives by the spring — an election, apparently, being far less important than, you know, expanding healthcare.

Singh’s reluctance to throw himself into the political ring stems, he says, from wanting to focus on delivering tangible benefits to Canadians. “I’m trying to get people dental coverage, not political coverage,” he quipped to his staff earlier this week. What a thought: a politician who prioritizes actual policies over PR stunts.

Of course, Singh’s position is made all the more interesting by the fact that the Conservatives’ non-confidence motion comes with an ironic twist: a request to acknowledge his own criticisms of the Liberals. It’s as if Poilievre is inviting Singh to join him for a “I told you so” moment, except Singh isn’t interested in the optics of it all. He’s far more keen on getting his hands dirty in the business of actually improving people’s lives — even if that means waiting a bit longer for the election fireworks.

And yet, the plot thickens. The NDP, along with the Bloc Québécois, voted against two previous non-confidence motions back in September. Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet has since said that his party would work with other opposition parties to bring down the government — but only if it’s in Quebec’s best interest.

Translation: No one is quite sure what will happen when the House convenes again next week. But given the current situation — a sluggish House due to ongoing privilege debates over green technology funding, opposition days backlogged to infinity, and Poilievre trying his best to stay relevant — the government could find itself in the firing line sooner rather than later.

One thing is certain: as we wait for the parliamentary gridlock to break, Singh is taking the high road, careful not to fall into the trap of political gamesmanship. After all, if you’re going to make history by expanding healthcare, the last thing you need is a full-blown political circus interrupting your plans.

So, while the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois hold hands under the political mistletoe, waiting for an election that might never come, Singh’s dental care dreams continue unabated. Perhaps in 2025, the real winner will be anyone who can smile without pain — even if they can’t necessarily trust every politician in the room.

In conclusion: Political games? Nah. Jagmeet’s too busy handing out free dental care. And honestly, who can blame him?