Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government survived a second attempt by the Conservatives to topple it with a non-confidence motion in the House Commons on Tuesday, with the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois voting against the Conservative motion.
The motion was voted down by 207 MPs with 120 voting for it on Tuesday. On Sept. 25, MPs had voted down the first attempt by 211-120.
MPs voted on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s motion after question period in the House of Commons. At least one more non-confidence motion is expected before Christmas, even as the first two have failed.
The motion, which was tabled last Thursday, blamed the Liberal government for “doubled housing costs, taxed food, punished work, unleashed crime” and calls it the “most centralizing government in Canadian history.”
“The House has lost confidence in the government and offers Canadians the option to axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime,” the motion reads.
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The minority Liberals needed the support of at least one other party in the House of Commons to survive such votes or pass any legislation.
Both the NDP and Bloc Quebecois joined the Liberals in defeating the Conservatives’ first challenge of the fall sitting last week.
Federal MPs on Sept. 25 voted down 211-120 a motion stating that “the House has no confidence in the Prime Minister and the government.”
Bloc Quebecois has given the Liberals a deadline of Oct. 29 to meet its demands in exchange for support, particularly around seniors’ benefits, or potentially face losing its support on future non-confidence votes.
The Bloc tabled its own opposition motion Tuesday, pushing for an increase in old age pension payments for all seniors. That vote is expected later this week.
Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has previously said that the New Democrats won’t let Poilievre “call the shots.”
After Tuesday’s vote, the Conservatives are expected to table at least one more such motion before Christmas.
If a non-confidence motion were to pass, the government would fall and a snap election would be triggered.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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