OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed his challenge to the NDP to bring down the government Liberal government with a non-confidence motion next week will include no mention of the carbon tax.
"It's time to put forward a motion for a carbon tax election," Poilievre said outside of his caucus meeting Wednesday.
"The decision will be up to Jagmeet Singh and the NDP. Are they going to vote to keep this costly Carbon Tax Prime Minister in power?"
But the motion Poilievre plans to put forward isn't about the carbon tax. A Conservative spokesperson said the motion will simply say "the House has no confidence in the prime minister and the government."
It's a dare to the New Democrats, who pulled out of their political pact with the government weeks ago and accused the Liberals of being "weak" and caving to corporate interests.
The NDP haven't signalled which way they will vote on the motion, which will be debated next Tuesday and voted on Wednesday.
Though much of the focus is on the New Democrats, the Conservatives will likely also need the support of the Bloc Québécois for the motion to pass.
A spokesperson for the Bloc says the party will wait to see the wording of the motion before deciding how to vote.
"It's up to the opposition parties now to determine what they want to do with Canadians, but I think for Mr. Singh in particular it's now going to be on his shoulders as to whether yet again, another week he does exactly what Mr. Poilievre asks or if he's actually going to stand up for the things Canadians care about," Liberal House leader Karina Gould said Wednesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.
— With files from Michel Saba
Laura Osman and Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
