OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre urged MPs to defeat the Liberal government Tuesday but opposition parties are turning the debate on his non-confidence motion into a referendum on the Conservative party's policies instead.
Poilievre introduced his promised non-confidence motion in the opening minutes of the House of Commons sitting Tuesday, delivering a campaign-style speech laying out his vision for Canada under a Conservative government.
He said his plan is "to bring home the promise of Canada, of a powerful paycheque that earns affordable food, gas and homes and safe neighbourhoods, where anyone, from anywhere, can do anything. The biggest and most open land of opportunity the world has ever seen, that is our vision."
Poilievre told the House he would lower taxes and eliminate the price on carbon, and will instead fight climate change by approving large-scale green projects and use the revenues to reduce government debt.
"We will cap government spending with a dollar for dollar law that requires we find $1 of savings for every new dollar of spending," Poilievre said.
"We will cut bureaucracy, waste and consulting contracts."
Those cuts are the very reason the NDP's Jagmeet Singh said he wouldn't vote to bring down the government Tuesday.
"We are going to fight today against Conservative cuts and against the Conservative motion," NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told the House.
Debate on the motion will conclude Tuesday with the vote scheduled to take place Wednesday afternoon.
Both the NDP and the Bloc Québécois indicated last week they would not support the non-confidence motion because they don't support the Conservatives. If they vote no, the motion will be defeated and the Liberal government will survive its first test since its supply and confidence deal with the NDP fell apart.
If the motion were to pass, the government would be defeated and Canadians very likely would see an immediate election.
The Conservatives have another chance to introduce a non-confidence motion on Thursday during a second opposition day in the House of Commons. There are a total of seven opposition days required this fall, of which five will go to the Conservatives.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2024.
Laura Osman, The Canadian Press
