
Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre announced that his Conservative Party plans to introduce a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Poilievre sought the support of the New Democratic Party (NDP) in his bid to oust Trudeau, stating that the NDP must decide whether it wants to “sell out Canadians” or support his effort against the incumbent prime minister.
The leader of the NDP, Jagmeet Singh, has yet to make his intentions clear about the anti-Trudeau motion. Singh accused Poilievre of playing games, adding that his party will only vote for the resolution if it serves the best interests of Canadians.
The NDP recently parted ways with Trudeau’s government, making it vulnerable to being ousted. Trudeau’s Liberal Party and the NDP reached an agreement in 2022 after Trudeau failed to win a majority in the 2021 elections, which prompted him to seek coalition partners to form the government. The NDP joined the government after reaching an agreement that the Trudeau-led government would increase social spending across the country.
While withdrawing his support, Singh called the Liberal Party “too weak, too selfish” for Canadians and announced he would vote in the parliament only on a case-by-case basis.
In the 338-member House of Canada, any political party needs at least 170 seats to form a majority government, which gives them enough power to bring a legislative agenda of their choice without relying on the support of other parties.
The Liberals currently hold 154 seats, while the Conservatives and NDP have 119 and 24 seats, respectively. Meanwhile, the Quebec-based nationalist party, Bloc Québécois, holds 32 seats in the chamber. Bloc Québécois advocates for Quebec’s independence from the Canadian federation.
Québécois has announced that it will support Trudeau if his government grants Quebec more authority in immigration-related matters. It remains unlikely that Trudeau would accept such a demand, considering that many Canadians oppose separatist parties like Bloc Québécois. Partnering with them just a year before the federal elections could further hurt Trudeau’s already nose-diving popularity.
Most polls suggest that the Conservatives are likely to win the next Canadian elections, as Trudeau, now in his ninth year as prime minister, seems unable to mobilize voters as he once did.
If all opposition parties unite, Trudeau’s premature departure from his role as prime minister is certain, and his government would be sent packing. However, many political analysts believe that the prime minister will still complete his current term, as the NDP is unlikely to join forces with the Conservatives due to the significant ideological differences between the two parties. The NDP primarily attracts left-leaning voters in Canada, including those on the far-left, while the Conservative Party is supported by right-leaning voters…naturally.