Debate gets testy as MPs consider confidence motion in PM Trudeau
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 “a carbon tax election,†and a return to what he called “the Canadian promise†in a 20-minute speech.
“That promise, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal prime minister, is broken,†Poilievre said.
The Conservative motion, which states “That the House has no confidence in the Prime Minister and the government,†was debated Tuesday. MPs will vote on Wednesday.
Poilievre first promised this motion weeks ago, after NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s announcement he’d 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’ll 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 “axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime,†and again promised “this will be a carbon tax referendum, a carbon tax election.â€
“That is our vision,†Poilievre concluded. “That is our purpose. Let’s bring it home.â€
But during question period, Government House Leader Karina Gould pivoted the discussion to focus on the Conservatives.
“Today 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’ll 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’t specifically answer, saying instead he wanted to “correct the falsehoods†about his record on health care, and criticizing the NDP’s pharmacare proposals.
“We're going to vote today against Conservative cuts and against the Conservative motion,†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’s Conservatives form government.
Singh also took aim at the Liberals, criticizing their record on health care and calling them “too weak to stand up to†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’s 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,†Trudeau said. “I'm thinking about how we can best help Canadians."
With files from Â鶹´«Ã½ National Correspondent Rachel Aiello
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
2 Canadians killed in Lebanon, Global Affairs Canada confirms amid Israel-Hezbollah conflict
Two Canadians are among those killed in southern Lebanon, Global Affairs Canada confirmed late Tuesday. While GAC has not confirmed their names due to privacy, family members tell Â鶹´«Ã½ the two people killed are Hussein and Daad Tabaja.
EXCLUSIVE Image released of mysterious object shot down over Yukon in 2023
An image of the unidentified object shot down over Canada's Yukon territory in February 2023 has been obtained by CTVNews.ca.
Debate gets testy as MPs consider confidence motion in PM Trudeau
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.
A city councillor in British Columbia says an online mob of "extremists" and "politically motivated hackers" is responsible for uncovering and publicizing a photo of him wearing a blackface costume to a Halloween party in 2007.
Feds have 'no intention' of pausing next carbon tax increase, Guilbeault says
The federal government has 'no intention' of pausing the next planned increase to the carbon price, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault confirms.
After Ontario Premier Doug Ford made controversial comments about solutions to get people out of homeless encampments, advocates and members of the opposition spoke up on Tuesday.
Four puppies were found near County Road 21 in Essa Township after a passerby spotted one when it ran out of the ditch and onto the road.
We've all had neighbours we didn't like, but two people from Sault Ste. Marie have been awarded more than half a million dollars for the 'extreme' behaviour of the people who lived next to them.
Missouri executes Marcellus Williams for 1998 killing of a woman despite her family's calls to spare his life
A Missouri man convicted of breaking into a woman’s home and repeatedly stabbing her was executed Tuesday over the objections of the victim’s family and the prosecutor, who wanted the death sentence commuted to life in prison.
Local Spotlight
Police are looking to the public for help after thieves broke into a Lethbridge ice creamery, stealing from the store.
An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.
Fire has destroyed a barn and 17,000 plants at a family-owned business in Lower Coverdale, N.B.
Before influencers on social media, Canada’s Jeanne Beker was bringing the world of high fashion down to earth and as Calgary’s Glenbow Museum gets a major make-over, it will include a new exhibition showcasing the pop culture icon.
A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.
A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.
Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.
Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.
An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.