Liberal Government Survives Non-Confidence Vote 211 to 120

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau departs Ottawa on June 12, 2024, en route to Italy to attend the G7 Summit. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

The Conservative Party’s non-confidence motion was defeated in the House of Commons, keeping the Liberal government in power and preventing an early election for the time being.

The Tory motion, which read “The House has no confidence in the Prime Minister and the Government,” received 211 “nay” votes and 120 “yea” votes, with the Liberals, NDP, Bloc Québécois, and the Greens voting against, and the Conservatives voting in favour. The Liberals need the support of either the New Democrats or the Bloc to survive confidence votes.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh had previously said his party would vote against the motion and not “play Pierre Poilievre’s games.” He recently left the supply-and-confidence agreement signed with the Liberals in 2022, which had the NDP support the government in confidence matters until June 2025 in exchange for Liberal support of NDP priorities.

Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet had also said that he would not be eager to trigger an election until “I get the impression that the Liberals won’t be inclined to give us what we want.”

Earlier in the day on Sept. 25, Blanchet said the Liberal government would need to pass two Bloc private member’s bills before Oct. 29 or the Bloc would begin talks with other parties to bring down the government. Blanchet said he would like the Liberal government to help pass Bill C-319, amending the Old Age Security Act, and Bill C-282, relating to supply management.

Bill C-319 would increase Old Age Security pensions by 10 percent for seniors aged 65 to 74, while Bill C-282 would protect the supply management system in international trade agreements. Blanchet said the Oct. 29 deadline would provide enough time for the government to steer the bills’ adoption, and give enough time to hold a snap election before Christmas.

When Blanchet asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during Question Period on Sept. 25 if he would support the “good faith proposal,” Trudeau responded that his party had already “shown many times that our priorities include help for seniors and the protection of supply management.”

“We'll continue to work with other members of this House to deliver for seniors and to deliver for our farmers. We know that there are concerns that we can work together on, and we’re going to do so, because we’re always here to help Quebecers and all Canadians in these difficult times,” he said.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused the Bloc of voting to “empower the most centralizing government in the history of our country,” one that he said had added thousands of new government workers while doubling the federal debt and cost of housing. “Is it not time to allow Quebecers to vote to cut their taxes, build homes, fix the budget and stop the crime with a common sense government?” he said.

Trudeau responded that Poilievre was offering “cuts for programs, cuts for services, cuts in the fight against climate change, all the things that concern Quebecers and all Canadians.” He said a Conservative government would bring about austerity, while the Liberals would continue investing in programs to help Canadians.

The Bloc has said it’s not looking or an immediate election, as that would mean a majority Conservative government, and that instead it wants to see what gains it can get from the minority Liberal government.

The Conservative Party will be able to introduce another non-confidence motion on Sept. 26 during a second Opposition day in Parliament. There will be seven Opposition days this fall, five of which go to the Conservatives. The party has not said when it plans to table another non-confidence motion.