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Trudeau survives second confidence motion in Canada parliament

Justin Trudeau's minority Liberal government defeated a confidence motion with a vote of 207-121

Trudeau survives second confidence motion in Canada parliament

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada September 25, 2024

Reuters

The Conservative Party aimed to unseat Trudeau, citing high prices, rising crime, and a planned carbon tax increase

The Bloc Quebecois backed Trudeau in exchange for boosting seniors' pensions

A recent poll shows Conservatives at 42% support, leading the NDP (22%) and Liberals (21%), indicating a potential Conservative victory in the next election

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau survived a second parliamentary confidence motion in less than a week on Tuesday after opposition parties vowed to keep his minority Liberal government alive for now.

Legislators in the House of Commons voted 207-121 to defeat a bid by the official opposition Conservative Party to topple Trudeau, who faces increasing voter fatigue after almost nine years in power.

Last Thursday he easily brushed off an initial Conservative motion to bring him down.

The Conservatives, who have a big lead in the polls ahead of an election that must be held by end-October 2025, say Canadians cannot afford a planned increase in the federal carbon tax and accuse Trudeau of presiding over high prices and rising crime.

To trigger an election they need the backing of every single opposition legislator.

But the separatist Bloc Quebecois, which wants independence for the province of Quebec, backed Trudeau. The party said last week it would back Trudeau until at least the end of this month in return for boosting seniors' pensions.

Even if the Bloc does turn against Trudeau, he could still be saved by the left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP).

A Nanos poll released on Sept 27 showed the Conservatives on 42% public support, far ahead of the NDP on 22% and the Liberals on 21%. Given this would result in a huge Conservative victory if replicated in an election, the NDP could be tempted to keep Trudeau in power, in the hope its own fortunes might recover.

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