On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau survived a no-confidence vote when his biggest political adversary failed to get enough votes to overturn his Liberal Party’s nine-year dominance.
Doubts about Trudeau’s leadership grew after his party suffered a second humiliating defeat in a special election, but not enough to destabilize his government.
On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau survived a no-confidence vote when his biggest political adversary failed to get enough votes to overturn his Liberal Party’s nine-year dominance.
Doubts about Trudeau’s leadership grew after his party suffered a second humiliating defeat in a special election, but not enough to destabilize his government.
“Today was a good day for the country because I don’t think Canadians want an election,” said Karina Gould, the senior Liberal in charge of government business in the House. The Liberals currently have 154 seats in the 338 Canadian House of Commons. The Conservates hold 119 and the NDP 24.
Trudeau faces new threat to his rule
Despite surviving the vote, other challenges loom for Trudeau. Earlier in the day, the leader of the separatist Bloc Quebecois, which has 32 seats in the Parliament, said he would work to bring down the government unless it quickly agreed to the Bloc’s demands. This is particularly important as the Liberal Party will soon face a second vote on one of its budget measures, which is also a matter of confidence. However, it is expected to also survive that vote.
Bloc leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said he would keep Trudeau in power at least until the end of December if he gave more money to seniors and vowed to protect a system of tariffs and quotas that protect dairy farmers, many of whom live in Quebec. If the government did not formally do this by October 29, the Bloc would talk to opposition parties with a view to bringing down Trudeau, he told reporters.
Most polls show the Conservatives well ahead of the Liberals with the NDP sitting third. The Conservatives say they want an election as soon as possible on the grounds that Canadians cannot afford a planned increase in the federal carbon tax. They also say federal spending and crime have ballooned under the Liberals. Trudeau, while acknowledging public unhappiness, has accused the Conservatives of playing politics rather than focusing on what people need.
Trudeau, who took office in November 2015, is facing increasing unpopularity due to rising prices and a nationwide housing crisis. This crisis is partly due to a surge in temporary residents, including foreign students and workers.
Trudeau has also suffered political defeats, losing a byelection in Toronto and another in Montreal. Some Liberal legislators have called for change, but Trudeau remains unpopular and has time to help the party recover. Polls suggest the party would face trouble if an election were called now, as the mandate for Trudeau’s minority government expires at the end of October 2025. An early election is becoming increasingly likely after the smaller New Democratic Party drops its support.
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Source: India Tv
