Conservatives plan to use Jagmeet Singh’s words in latest non-confidence motion

OTTAWA — The Conservatives plan to bring forward a non-confidence motion next week that is focused on NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s own words, as they try to convince the New Democrats to bring down the minority Liberal government.

The proposed motion quotes Singh as saying the Liberals caved to corporate greed when they ordered binding arbitration in labour disputes involving the country’s two largest rail yards and at ports in B.C. and Montreal.

The motion concludes with a call for members to declare they agree with the NDP leader and for the House of Commons to “proclaim it has lost confidence in the prime minister and the government.”

On Thursday, Government House leader Karina Gould announced she’s seeking unanimous consent to schedule opposition days for the Conservatives and the NDP next week.

Opposition parties must be given four more days to introduce their own motions before Dec. 10 — and the Conservatives have pledged to try to bring down the government at every opportunity.

If the majority of the House of Commons votes in favour of a non-confidence motion, it would likely trigger an immediate election.

The Bloc Québécois pledged to work with the other opposition parties to defeat the government this fall, after the Liberals refused to adopt a Bloc bill to raise old age security payments for seniors under age 75.

However, Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet said his party would only vote in favour of non-confidence motions that are deemed to be in the best interests of Quebec.

No opposition days have been held since early October because the House has been bogged down in debate over a matter of privilege.

The Conservatives had two opposition days earlier in the fall sitting, and introduced non-confidence motions both times. Those votes failed to pass and the NDP and Bloc voted with the Liberals both times.

Singh has said his party will take each non-confidence vote on a case-by-case basis, and has said that while his party is ready for an election it does not want to push for one immediately.

The NDP will also have an opposition day before Dec. 10, and Singh previously said his party planned to introduce a motion related to improving access to abortion.

An official from Gould’s office said they are still waiting to hear formal responses from the other parties.

A spokesperson for the Conservatives said the party will not know until Monday morning at the earliest when it will be able to bring the non-confidence motion forward.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 29, 2024.

David Baxter, The Canadian Press