MPs debated the first non-confidence motion of the fall House of Commons sitting today, seeing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre push once again for a snap election. But with votes secured to keep them afloat, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals were quick to turn the discussion into a referendum on the Conservative alternative.
Kicking off debate Tuesday morning, Poilievre called for 鈥渁 carbon tax election,鈥� and a return to what he called 鈥渢he Canadian promise鈥� in a 20-minute speech.
鈥淭hat promise, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal prime minister, is broken,鈥� Poilievre said.
The Conservative motion, which states 鈥淭hat the House has no confidence in the Prime Minister and the government,鈥� was debated Tuesday. MPs will vote on Wednesday.
Poilievre first promised this motion weeks ago, after NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh鈥檚 announcement he鈥檇 scrapped the supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberals. The end of the pact meant that, for the first time in two-and-a-half years, NDP support of the government was no longer guaranteed.
However, Singh and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet confirmed last week they鈥檒l vote against the motion, throwing cold water on the possibility of toppling the government and going into a snap election.
Poilievre, in his speech in the House of Commons on Tuesday, reiterated his plan to 鈥渁xe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime,鈥� and again promised 鈥渢his will be a carbon tax referendum, a carbon tax election.鈥�
鈥淭hat is our vision,鈥� Poilievre concluded. 鈥淭hat is our purpose. Let鈥檚 bring it home.鈥�
But during question period, Government House Leader Karina Gould pivoted the discussion to focus on the Conservatives.
鈥淭oday what we are doing is demonstrating that this House does not have confidence in the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada," Gould said.
The Conservatives have had a double-digit lead in the polls for more than a year, with some pollsters predicting an election held now would likely yield a majority Conservative government.
The House Speaker interrupted debate several times on Tuesday to call MPs to order.
The Conservatives will have another opportunity to table a non-confidence motion during their next opposition day, scheduled for Thursday.
They鈥檒l also have three more chances between now and the Christmas holidays.
During the debate, Singh used his time to ask directly whether Poilievre would get rid of the dental-care plan brought in as a cornerstone policy of the supply-and-confidence agreement.
Poilievre didn鈥檛 specifically answer, saying instead he wanted to 鈥渃orrect the falsehoods鈥� about his record on health care, and criticizing the NDP鈥檚 pharmacare proposals.
鈥淲e're going to vote today against Conservative cuts and against the Conservative motion,鈥� Singh said, after accusing the Conservatives of cutting health care under former prime minister Stephen Harper, and of planning to cut dental care and pensions if Poilievre鈥檚 Conservatives form government.
Singh also took aim at the Liberals, criticizing their record on health care and calling them 鈥渢oo weak to stand up to鈥� Conservative premiers.
Without the guaranteed support of the NDP, the Liberals need support from other parties to stay in power. Blanchet and the Bloc, for their part, are leveraging their new voting power to push the Liberals to vote in favour of expanding and increasing pensions for seniors.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland was asked Tuesday about the Bloc's demand and whether that's something the federal government can afford. While she didn't directly answer, she cited existing Liberal policies for seniors.
"When it comes to further support for seniors, we are having good conversations about all possible economic measures with both the Bloc and the NDP, and those conversations are ongoing."
While his government鈥檚 record was being debated on Parliament Hill, the prime minister was in New York City, where he faced questions from reporters about his leadership.
"Obviously, the Conservatives are very much thinking about power right now,鈥� Trudeau said. 鈥淚'm thinking about how we can best help Canadians."
With files from 麻豆传媒 National Correspondent Rachel Aiello
