Unsurprisingly, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s attempt to topple Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government failed Wednesday afternoon.
Federal MPs were asked to vote on a Conservative Party motion of censure that “the House has no confidence in the Prime Minister and the government.”
The motion was defeated with 211 votes against and 120 votes for.
In addition to the Liberals, all elected members of the Bloc Québécois, the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the Green Party opposed the Conservative motion. The outcome of the vote was predictable, since the first two parties had already announced their intention to oppose it last week.
Even before the vote, Mr. Poilievre was already deploring the opposition parties’ decision to support the government. “The Bloc is voting to keep in power the most centralizing and costly government in the history of the country,” he said in French during question period.
All Conservative MPs, as well as independent MPs Alain Rayes and Kevin Vuong, supported the motion tabled the day before by the leader of the opposition.
Former Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez, who recently became an independent, opposed the motion. He chose to leave the Liberal caucus to run for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party.
” Come on“Pablo!” shouted Conservative MPs in the House when his electronic vote was recorded.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was seen laughing with Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland from the galleries of the House of Commons as Conservatives one by one supported the motion to bring down his government.
Liberal House leader Karina Gould was pleased with the results as she left the chamber. “We saw that the three parties in this House are here to work for Canadians. There is one party, the Conservative Party, that is only here to play political games, to squabble. And only for the personal ambitions of [son] leader, and not for Canadians,” she said after the vote.
A first test
Mr. Poilievre’s censure motion was the first test for the Liberal minority government since the New Democrats broke the agreement of support and confidence between the two parties.
The Conservatives plan to present new motions of censure, including a second on Thursday. A new vote should therefore take place next Tuesday, the Conservative Party indicates to the Duty.
The Conservatives’ next attempt should also fail, since the Bloc Québécois confirmed on Wednesday morning that it would support the government until October 29 in exchange for the adoption of two bills.
Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet is giving the government 34 days to pass its Bill C-319 on the Old Age Security pension and its Bill C-282 on supply management in Parliament. His party could support a motion of censure beyond that date if these demands are not met.
“I will not give a discount on survival, it takes concrete action. We absolutely need two bills. Do we move forward, yes or no?” asked the Bloc leader in the House, addressing the Prime Minister. Mr. Trudeau did not indicate whether he would accelerate the adoption of these legislative texts.