Government Braces for Third Tory Non-Confidence Vote Amid $21.6 Billion Spending Crisis
The Liberals face a crucial non-confidence vote today, but support from the NDP may help them survive this fiscal challenge.
Ottawa, Canada, Non-Confidence Vote, NDP, Conservatives, Government Spending
Ottawa: So, the Liberals are gearing up for a third non-confidence vote from the Conservatives today. But guess what? They’re likely to pull through thanks to the NDP’s backing.
Members of Parliament are set to vote on a motion that quotes NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who’s been pretty vocal about his criticism of the Liberals. He’s asking everyone to agree with him and vote to topple the government.
But here’s the kicker: Singh said last week he won’t support the Conservatives. So, this motion is probably going to flop.
On top of that, there’s another NDP motion on the table. It’s calling for the government to expand the GST break and the $250 rebate for working Canadians to include fully retired seniors and folks on disability benefits.
These votes are coming up after MPs tackle a debate about a privilege point raised by Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman last Friday.
As the opposition parties keep using procedural tricks to slow each other down, the House has a deadline looming on Tuesday. They need to vote to approve billions in government spending.
Treasury Board President Anita Anand is asking for a whopping $21.6 billion to fund programs like housing, dental care, and the national school food program.
If that doesn’t get the green light, some programs could run into cash issues, including veteran benefits and disaster assistance. They’re set to debate and vote on this late Tuesday.
Plus, the last two opposition motions of the year need to be introduced before Tuesday. The Conservatives have the remaining opposition day motions, and they’re expected to be more non-confidence votes.
This whole situation was set up when House Speaker Greg Fergus paused a two-month-long filibuster to allow for the spending debate and opposition motions.
The House has been stuck in a gridlock since late September due to a filibuster over a Conservative privilege motion. This is tied to the Liberals not providing unredacted documents about a now-defunct green technology fund to Parliament and the RCMP.
Last Friday, Lantsman raised a privilege point about an anti-Israeli war protest that blocked access to a building where MP offices are located. She claimed NDP MPs were supportive of the protesters, who disrupted access to the House of Commons.
The debate on her motion is expected to pick up again on Monday. These privilege motions usually take precedence over most other business in the House.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on December 9, 2024.
David Baxter, The Canadian Press