After the Bloc Quebecois signalled that it would oppose a Conservative non-confidence motion to trigger an election, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced on Thursday that he would be doing the same despite breaking off a coalition agreement with the governing Liberals.
In a statement given to reporters ahead of Question Period in the House of Commons, Singh vowed to continue to prop the Liberals and vote “no” on the non-confidence motion slated to take place next Wednesday.
“New Democrats came to Ottawa to get stuff done, to work, for people to fight, for people not to play Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative games, so we will not be supporting Pierre Pollievre’s motion,” Singh said.
On Wednesday, BQ leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said his party would continue to support the Liberal government by voting no on the motion as well. In a statement Wednesday, Blanchet took offence when a reporter asked why he continued to prop up the Liberals.
“I am propping nobody up!” Blanchet said. “I never support Liberals, so help me God, I go against the Conservatives on a vote that is only about Pierre Poilievre and his huge ambition for himself.”
Conservatives would need the support of both the BQ and NDP on the next non-confidence motion to trigger an early election. Otherwise, the election will take place no later than October 2025.
Singh said he won’t let Poilievre “tell us what to do.”
“We’re not going to listen to someone who wants to cut the things that people need right now. Canadians need relief, not more cuts. We’ve got people’s back,” Singh said.
Despite opposing the Conservative non-confidence motion, Singh said Justin Trudeau does not deserve another chance at governance.
“I do not believe that Justin Trudeau deserves a second chance. He has let you down, and it has meant that people are worse off,” Singh said.”If things are bad now, Pierre Poilievre is proposing a future that will be even worse. We are here to stop conservative cuts, and I’m here to become the next Prime Minister for this country.”
In a statement, the Conservative Party said Singh “ripping up” the coalition agreement with Trudeau was amounted to nothing more than showmanship.
“The only way the NDP can pull out of their coalition with Justin Trudeau is to vote non-confidence and trigger a carbon tax election. But Jagmeet Singh refuses to do this, placing his $2.3 million pension over the people,” the statement said.
In a statement before Question Period in the House of Commons, Poilievre called Singh a fraud, accusing him of theatrics to win a byelection in Winnipeg.
“He looked (Winnipegers) in the eye and said he had torn up the carbon tax coalition. Well, as soon as the votes were counted and he no longer needed the people of Winnipeg, he betrayed them,” Poilievre said. “He taped back together the carbon tax coalition agreement, and he sold them out again. It was a big Hollywood production.”
On Thursday, the Premier of Quebec Francois Legault urged Blanchet to support Poilievre’s motion and trigger an election, but the BQ leader said the motion did not mention Quebec’s sovereignty over immigration.
The Conservative motion reads, “The House has no confidence in the Prime Minister and the Government.”
Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer has said due to the motion’s “simple” language, any party can explain to Canadians their reasons for agreeing with the statement.
Despite indicating that he plans to support the government in the non-confidence vote, Blanchet on Wednesday stated that he lacks confidence in the Trudeau government.
“No I don’t have confidence in the Trudeau government, but I do have reasonable confidence in seeking an increase in pensions for thousands of Quebecers,” Blanchet said.
Blanchet also indicated that if the Liberals do not comply with the BQ’s demands for immigration control and increased funding for seniors’ pensions, he will help trigger an early election.
