Interview with the government leader | Liberals maintain focus on elections in October 2025

(Ottawa) In the space of two weeks, one party leader came close to coming to blows with another, and the Prime Minister accused a Conservative elected official of having made homophobic comments, among other things. Knives are flying lower than ever in the House of Commons, but that does not undermine the Liberals’ determination to stay in place until October 2025.

“That’s the goal. Yes, that’s still the goal,” says the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Karina Gould, in her office in the West Block. The day before, the Conservative Party had failed to bring down the Trudeau government; it survived thanks to the support of the Bloc Québécois and the New Democratic Party (NDP).

But Pierre Poilievre’s troops will not give up. As proof, a new Conservative motion of censure was being debated at the same time as Karina Gould gave us an interview on Thursday. And the official opposition will have three more opportunities to push the government to the brink this fall.

Isn’t the Federal Parliament rendered dysfunctional? “The Conservatives are doing everything they can to ensure that Parliament does not work, but what I see from the other parties is that they always want to advance things. [projets de loi] », argues the minister through the tweets of her little Taya, 8 months old, whom she holds in her arms.

A babbling which contrasts sharply with the insulting remarks made by the deputies in the House of Commons. On this, Karina Gould believes that limits have been crossed, citing the episode between Pierre Poilievre and Jagmeet Singh^⁠1 occurred in the first week of the school year. “Leaving your seat to intimidate someone is inappropriate,” she maintains.

It must be said that the conservative leader had just copiously insulted his NDP opponent – ​​a “sell-out”, an “imposter” – and that he and some of his elected officials seemed to be daring him to approach.

This is why the option of proroguing Parliament is ruled out: because the conservative nature would quickly return at a gallop, believes M^me Gould: “These people in the Conservative Party will not change under Mr. Poilievre’s leadership. And that won’t change if they end up in government either. »

Openness to collaborating with the Bloc

But it is also because she believes that it is still possible to conclude piecemeal agreements with the Bloc Québécois and the NDP. And while some of her colleagues have badly digested the ultimatum launched by Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet, she sees it as a demonstration that her party “wants to continue working for Canadians”.

The same day as the ultimatum, the Liberals agreed to move Bloc Bill C-319 on the increase in the old age pension for seniors aged 65 to 74 to third reading. . However, there is a long way to go, because the government must seek the royal recommendation^⁠2… and the Senate must pass it.

Playing the clock could also allow the Liberals to present themselves before the electorate with achievements, they who constantly speak of the need to “continue to deliver for Canadians”. However, strong bills are moving slowly. And that’s not to mention that the gun buyback program is in decline^⁠3.

Shared responsibility

Minister Gould is more likely to blame the Conservatives when it comes to the unhealthy climate that reigns in the House of Commons. “There is only one party that does not act in a respectful manner, that does not respect the institution, that does not respect Canadians,” she accuses.

However, some not very complimentary things have been said on the Liberal benches in the last two weeks. “Harper’s Failed Housing Minister,” “Calling Out the Bullies’ Shit [les conservateurs] “, we heard from the lips of Justin Trudeau.

And House Speaker Greg Fergus noted Thursday that no one is blameless.

Saying he was “very concerned” by the “sequence of events” leading to the spat between Pierre Poilievre and Jagmeet Singh, the referee of the proceedings underlined that “the tendency […] resorting to personal criticism and insults” was “observed on both sides” of the House.

As of September 30, there are 46 sitting days left before the end of 2024. But there are fewer left before the deadline set by Yves-François Blanchet, as the Bloc member Andréanne Larouche recalled during the period questions from last Thursday. “The Liberals will realize that October 29 is coming quickly,” she said.

October 20, 2025, the deadline for the next federal election, is still far away.

1. Read “Jagmeet Singh seemed to ‘want to fight’ with Pierre Poilievre”

2. Since private member’s bill C-319 involves government expenditures, it must obtain royal recommendation before being debated at third reading in the House of Commons.

3. Read an article from Radio-Canada