Poilievre to table motion of non-confidence to force election
The odds of Canadians going to the polls this fall went up a notch Wednesday after NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced he is tearing up the deal he struck in March 2022 with Justin Trudeau that had so far ensured the political survival of the minority Liberal government in the House of Commons.
Sensing an opportunity to provoke a fall election that could give him the keys to power, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre intends to quickly test the NDP's willingness to distance itself from the Liberals.
Three hours after his NDP opponent's surprise announcement, Poilievre confirmed he will table a motion of non-confidence in the Liberal government at the earliest opportunity. If the NDP and the Bloc Québécois support such an approach, the country will be plunged into an election campaign in the coming weeks.
"The NDP will have to make a choice. Jagmeet Singh's sellout is going to have to decide whether to keep Justin Trudeau's expensive government in power or to call an election on the carbon tax," Poilievre said while in Nanaimo, B.C.
Parliamentary proceedings resume in Ottawa on September 16. The calendar of opposition days has not yet been decided. It is during one of these days that an opposition party can table a motion of censure if it wishes.
By-elections will also be held on September 16 in two ridings that will be decisive for the future: LaSalle-Émard-Verdun, in the Montreal region, and Elmwood-Transcona, in the Winnipeg region. The NDP is pulling out all the stops to wrest LaSalle-Émard-Verdun from the Liberals. The riding of Elmwood-Transcona is an NDP stronghold. A double victory for the NDP could convince
him that the time for a general election has come.
Jagmeet Singh confirmed his decision to end the support agreement in a video posted on social media at 1 p.m. He notified Justin Trudeau a few minutes before.
Liberals are too weak, too selfish, and too beholden to big business interests to fight for people. They cannot stop the Conservatives. But we can do it.
"Canadians are fighting a battle. A battle for the future of the middle class. Justin Trudeau has proven time and time again that he always gives in to CEO pressure. He let people down. He doesn't deserve another chance," he also said.
The move now means the Trudeau government will have to navigate more turbulent waters in the House of Commons in order to pass its legislative agenda.
If previously he could essentially take for granted the support of the NDP to pass the federal budget, for example, he will have to obtain the support of another party on a piecemeal basis as of September 16.
While in Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland, Justin Trudeau said he has no intention of changing his parliamentary game plan one iota despite his political ally's decision to dump him.
"The NDP is going to have to choose whether it wants to play political games or deliver for Canadians. It has been demonstrated that by making a concrete investment in the things that Canadians need . . . you can deliver for Canadians during a difficult time. If the NDP chooses to ally with the Conservatives, who only want to cut, who only want to hurt Canadians [...], Canadians will judge the NDP appropriately. But I remain optimistic that we will be able to make Parliament work," Trudeau said.
Under this famous agreement, the NDP committed to supporting Justin Trudeau's minority government during confidence votes in the House of Commons for a period of three years, until June 2025.
In exchange, the Trudeau government has promised to implement certain measures that are dear to the NDP such as the creation of a national dental care program, the passage of anti-scab legislation, and investments to create a pharmacare program, among other things. The most important elements of this agreement have been implemented over the past few months.
The NDP's decision changes the balance of power between the various political parties in the House of Commons. The Bloc Québécois is well aware of this new situation, said Bloc Québécois House Leader Alain Therrien.
"We are back to the verdict of the people in the 2021 election, which was a minority Liberal government. The Liberals have tinkered with an artificial majority with the NDP. Now, it's a comeback and it's good news for the Bloc Québécois. We want to defend Quebec's interests and we are ready to negotiate on a piecemeal basis, as we did between 2019 and 2021," said Mr. Therrien.
For us, it's easy. What is good for Quebec is good for us.
As for the possibility of the Conservative Party tabling a motion of non-confidence, Therrien said his party will take into account the political context before making a decision. "For us, it's not complicated. We are not defending the Conservatives. We are not defending the Liberals. We defend Quebecers. All the decisions we will make will be based on the interests of Quebecers. »
At the federal cabinet retreat last week in Halifax, Government House Leader Karina Gould said she was hopeful that the agreement between the NDP and the government would remain in place as planned until June 2025.
It appears that the Trudeau government's decision to impose binding arbitration in order to end the work stoppage that has paralyzed the two national railway companies has angered the NDP to the point of accelerating the decision to terminate the agreement
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh joined the locked-out workers as they picketed in Montreal on August 22, 2024.
The end of the governance agreement does not necessarily mean that the country will be plunged into an election campaign this fall, said an NDP source who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to speak more freely.
It will be on a case-by-case basis. If what the Liberal government is proposing is good for Canadians, we will vote in favour of it. If it is bad for Canadians, we will vote against it.
Jagmeet Singh will wait until Thursday to explain his reasons for tearing up the agreement at a press conference scheduled for 11:15 a.m.
Singh is scheduled to convene his caucus in Montreal next week to prepare for the return of Parliament, a few days before the by-election in the riding of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun.
Jagmeet Singh and Craig Sauvé, the NDP candidate for the by-election in the riding of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun
Last week, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre challenged Jagmeet Singh to end the support agreement.
"Canadians can't afford another year of Justin Trudeau," the Conservative leader said during a press conference outside the doors of Parliament. "Justin Trudeau is not going to resign. He must be fired. »
Poilievre issued the challenge while his party has been leading by a wide margin in the polls for more than a year. On average, the Conservative Party holds a lead of between 15 and 20 per cent over the Liberal Party of Canada, which has been in power since 2015.
In his statement on social media Wednesday, Singh said his party must fight another, more important battle: "Confront Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative cuts. Cuts that will affect workers, pensioners, young people, families. All so that he can give more back to the CEOs," he said.
Sensing an opportunity to provoke a fall election that could give him the keys to power, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre intends to quickly test the NDP's willingness to distance itself from the Liberals.
Three hours after his NDP opponent's surprise announcement, Poilievre confirmed he will table a motion of non-confidence in the Liberal government at the earliest opportunity. If the NDP and the Bloc Québécois support such an approach, the country will be plunged into an election campaign in the coming weeks.
"The NDP will have to make a choice. Jagmeet Singh's sellout is going to have to decide whether to keep Justin Trudeau's expensive government in power or to call an election on the carbon tax," Poilievre said while in Nanaimo, B.C.
Parliamentary proceedings resume in Ottawa on September 16. The calendar of opposition days has not yet been decided. It is during one of these days that an opposition party can table a motion of censure if it wishes.
By-elections will also be held on September 16 in two ridings that will be decisive for the future: LaSalle-Émard-Verdun, in the Montreal region, and Elmwood-Transcona, in the Winnipeg region. The NDP is pulling out all the stops to wrest LaSalle-Émard-Verdun from the Liberals. The riding of Elmwood-Transcona is an NDP stronghold. A double victory for the NDP could convince
him that the time for a general election has come.
Jagmeet Singh confirmed his decision to end the support agreement in a video posted on social media at 1 p.m. He notified Justin Trudeau a few minutes before.
Liberals are too weak, too selfish, and too beholden to big business interests to fight for people. They cannot stop the Conservatives. But we can do it.
"Canadians are fighting a battle. A battle for the future of the middle class. Justin Trudeau has proven time and time again that he always gives in to CEO pressure. He let people down. He doesn't deserve another chance," he also said.
The move now means the Trudeau government will have to navigate more turbulent waters in the House of Commons in order to pass its legislative agenda.
If previously he could essentially take for granted the support of the NDP to pass the federal budget, for example, he will have to obtain the support of another party on a piecemeal basis as of September 16.
While in Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland, Justin Trudeau said he has no intention of changing his parliamentary game plan one iota despite his political ally's decision to dump him.
"The NDP is going to have to choose whether it wants to play political games or deliver for Canadians. It has been demonstrated that by making a concrete investment in the things that Canadians need . . . you can deliver for Canadians during a difficult time. If the NDP chooses to ally with the Conservatives, who only want to cut, who only want to hurt Canadians [...], Canadians will judge the NDP appropriately. But I remain optimistic that we will be able to make Parliament work," Trudeau said.
Under this famous agreement, the NDP committed to supporting Justin Trudeau's minority government during confidence votes in the House of Commons for a period of three years, until June 2025.
In exchange, the Trudeau government has promised to implement certain measures that are dear to the NDP such as the creation of a national dental care program, the passage of anti-scab legislation, and investments to create a pharmacare program, among other things. The most important elements of this agreement have been implemented over the past few months.
The NDP's decision changes the balance of power between the various political parties in the House of Commons. The Bloc Québécois is well aware of this new situation, said Bloc Québécois House Leader Alain Therrien.
"We are back to the verdict of the people in the 2021 election, which was a minority Liberal government. The Liberals have tinkered with an artificial majority with the NDP. Now, it's a comeback and it's good news for the Bloc Québécois. We want to defend Quebec's interests and we are ready to negotiate on a piecemeal basis, as we did between 2019 and 2021," said Mr. Therrien.
For us, it's easy. What is good for Quebec is good for us.
As for the possibility of the Conservative Party tabling a motion of non-confidence, Therrien said his party will take into account the political context before making a decision. "For us, it's not complicated. We are not defending the Conservatives. We are not defending the Liberals. We defend Quebecers. All the decisions we will make will be based on the interests of Quebecers. »
At the federal cabinet retreat last week in Halifax, Government House Leader Karina Gould said she was hopeful that the agreement between the NDP and the government would remain in place as planned until June 2025.
It appears that the Trudeau government's decision to impose binding arbitration in order to end the work stoppage that has paralyzed the two national railway companies has angered the NDP to the point of accelerating the decision to terminate the agreement
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh joined the locked-out workers as they picketed in Montreal on August 22, 2024.
The end of the governance agreement does not necessarily mean that the country will be plunged into an election campaign this fall, said an NDP source who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to speak more freely.
It will be on a case-by-case basis. If what the Liberal government is proposing is good for Canadians, we will vote in favour of it. If it is bad for Canadians, we will vote against it.
Jagmeet Singh will wait until Thursday to explain his reasons for tearing up the agreement at a press conference scheduled for 11:15 a.m.
Singh is scheduled to convene his caucus in Montreal next week to prepare for the return of Parliament, a few days before the by-election in the riding of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun.
Jagmeet Singh and Craig Sauvé, the NDP candidate for the by-election in the riding of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun
Last week, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre challenged Jagmeet Singh to end the support agreement.
"Canadians can't afford another year of Justin Trudeau," the Conservative leader said during a press conference outside the doors of Parliament. "Justin Trudeau is not going to resign. He must be fired. »
Poilievre issued the challenge while his party has been leading by a wide margin in the polls for more than a year. On average, the Conservative Party holds a lead of between 15 and 20 per cent over the Liberal Party of Canada, which has been in power since 2015.
In his statement on social media Wednesday, Singh said his party must fight another, more important battle: "Confront Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative cuts. Cuts that will affect workers, pensioners, young people, families. All so that he can give more back to the CEOs," he said.
