NDP leader Jagmeet Singh hangs a picture of himself on the wall at the Blue Star diner during a campaign stop in Welland Ont., on Thursday, October 17, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh on Thursday expressed openness toward a coalition, also criticizing Tory leader Andrew Scheer for saying the party that wins the most seats should have first crack to form government.

Speaking in Welland, Ont., where former NDP MP Malcolm Allen is the party’s candidate in a riding won by the Liberals in 2015, Singh said “coalition” was not a dirty word when asked by a reporter.

He also said Scheer’s opinion from yesterday was wrong.

“Sixty per cent of Canadians regularly, consistently vote against the Conservative government or a Conservative Party. And so it’s wrong for the Conservatives to think that with less than 40 per cent of the power or vote, they deserve all the majority of power,” he said.

Asked whether the Tories would be allowed to form government if they win the most number of seats, Singh said: “We don’t respect Conservatives, no.”

“What I mean is that just because Mr. Scheer thinks that if he gets a certain number of seats, that we’re going to give up fighting against Conservatives, no, we’re going to always fight Conservatives because we don’t believe in their cuts to services,” he said.

Scheer had told CTV’s Lisa LaFlamme on Wednesday that the party that wins the most seats in an election should have first crack to form government.

“We would expect that other parties would respect the fact that whichever party wins the most seats gets to form the government and that they will understand that if Canadians — when Canadians endorse our platform, we will have the right to implement it,” he said.

Scheer clarified Thursday that he’s asking Canadians for a majority government but added that in modern Canadian history, the party with the most seats has formed government. He also said in modern convention, if an incumbent Prime Minister enters an election and leaves the election with less seats, he withdraws.

Under Canada’s parliamentary system, if no party wins a majority of seats and the Liberals come in second to the Tories, Trudeau as the incumbent prime minister is offered the first shot to form government by trying to gain the confidence of a majority of MPs in the House of Commons.

Scheer’s messaging in recent days suggest the Tories are banking on winning a majority government instead of extending a branch toward other parties, including the Bloc Québécois.

“We’re not going to ask other parties for support,” Scheer told LaFlamme.

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With the NDP definitively in third place, and the first- and -second place Liberals and Tories polling in territory suggesting a minority situation, Singh’s party has a chance of holding the balance of power following Monday’s result.

Singh has not ruled out working with Trudeau in forming a minority government. On Thursday, he said the NDP in whatever form would continue to push for change.

“Whether we’re in government … whether that’s in opposition, whether that’s working together with others, whether that’s in a coalition, whatever it is — I want Canadians to know, if you vote New Democrat, you get fighters,” he said.

He also pointed toward programs such as old age pensions or universal health care as policies New Democrats (or preceding progressive parties) had successfully pushed for in minority situations.

Trudeau on Thursday said his party is “focused on electing a strong Liberal government” when asked in Trois-Rivieres about whether a coalition was being considered. Asked repeatedly, Trudeau did not offer a firm yes or no.

The Tories’ messaging over the last few days has framed Trudeau and Singh as conspiring to work together and raise taxes.

Asked whether the word “coalition” was a dirty word, Singh said: “It’s not,” to applause from NDP supporters in the room.