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Conservative case for taking down Liberals not resonating with other parties

Poilievre wants to 91Ƶrestore promise of Canada91Ƶ, NDP, Bloc 91Ƶnot so eager91Ƶ to see him take power
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The House of Commons is expected to debate a Conservative non-confidence motion today that is the Conservatives91Ƶ first attempt of the fall to take down the Liberal government. Chairs and desks sit empty in the Chamber of the House of Commons, in Ottawa, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre urged MPs to defeat the Liberal government on Tuesday, but opposition parties are turning the debate on his non-confidence motion into a referendum on the Conservative party91Ƶs policies instead.

Poilievre introduced a non-confidence motion in the opening minutes of the House of Commons sitting Tuesday, delivering a campaign-style speech laying out his vision for Canada under a Conservative government.

He said his plan is 91Ƶto bring home the promise of Canada, of a powerful paycheque that earns affordable food, gas and homes and safe neighbourhoods where anyone from anywhere can do anything. The biggest and most open land of opportunity the world has ever seen: that is our vision.91Ƶ

Polls have favoured the Conservatives for more than a year now, and if they were to hold true in the next election it could result in a Conservative majority government.

Poilievre told the House if that happens he would lower taxes and eliminate the price on carbon, instead fighting climate change by approving large-scale green projects and using the revenues to reduce government debt.

91ƵWe will cap government spending with a dollar-for-dollar law that requires we find $1 of savings for every new dollar of spending,91Ƶ Poilievre said.

91ƵWe will cut bureaucracy, waste and consulting contracts.91Ƶ

Poilievre and his party have not been specific about where exactly those cuts will come from, but they are the very reason the NDP91Ƶs Jagmeet Singh said his party wouldn91Ƶt vote to bring down the government.

91ƵWe are going to fight today against Conservative cuts and against the Conservative motion,91Ƶ Singh told the House.

Debate on the motion will conclude Tuesday with the vote scheduled to take place Wednesday afternoon.

Both the NDP and the Bloc Québécois indicated last week they would not support the non-confidence motion because they don91Ƶt support the Conservatives. If they vote no, the motion will be defeated and the Liberal government will survive its first test since its supply-and-confidence deal with the NDP ended earlier this month.

If the motion were to pass, the government would be defeated and Canadians very likely would see an immediate election.

The Bloc Québécois said they91Ƶd rather use the opportunity to negotiate with the Liberals, rather than trigger an election that would likely install Poilievre as prime minister.

91ƵWe listen to the Conservatives and are not sure that we91Ƶre so eager to see them take power,91Ƶ the Bloc91Ƶs House leader Alain Therrien told the House in French on Tuesday.

He said Poilievre has no plan to address the challenges of Quebec91Ƶs distinct society.

91ƵThere are situations in Quebec that are quite different from the rest of Canada,91Ƶ he said.

The Bloc has asked the Liberals to green-light the funding for their private member91Ƶs bill to raise pension payments for seniors under the age of 75.

The government hasn91Ƶt committed to doing that. The parliamentary budget officer has estimated the proposed change would cost about $16 billion over five years.

The prime minister was not in the House for the debate, and is instead representing Canada at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He was asked about the non-confidence motion after U.S. President Joe Biden used his speech at the UN to reflect on his decision to withdraw from his party91Ƶs ticket in the upcoming election, saying that he chose to think about the people he serves rather than his own power.

91ƵThe Conservatives are very much thinking about power right now,91Ƶ Trudeau said in response.

91ƵI91Ƶm thinking about how we can best help Canadians. I91Ƶm thinking about how to put the best balance sheet in the G7 in service of Canadians, to invest in Canadians. Confident countries invest in their citizens. Right now, Pierre Poilievre is offering cuts.91Ƶ

The Conservatives have another chance to introduce a non-confidence motion on Thursday during a second opposition day in the House of Commons. There are a total of seven opposition days required this fall, of which five will go to the Conservatives.





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