A Conservative Party motion that seeks to order Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s top adviser to testify on foreign interference by Beijing will not be decided through a vote of confidence, says Trudeau.
“No, this is not going to be a confidence motion,” Trudeau said, adding that it goes to show “how important the issue of foreign interference is” for his Liberal government.
Trudeau also said his government’s approach on the issue can be contrasted with what he called a “political circus” led by Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
MPs will vote on the motion in the House after question period on March 21.
The Liberal government has thus far been strongly opposed to Telford testifying in committee on foreign election interference.
NDP Hold ‘Deciding Vote’
Trudeau’s comments on the Conservatives’ motion come less than a day after Liberal Government House Leader Mark Holland told reporters that cabinet was still having “discussions” on whether or not the Liberals would make the Conservative motion a matter of confidence.Holland told reporters in Ottawa on March 20 that the government was still “having ongoing discussions and dialogue” about making it a confidence motion, which would’ve forced the NDP to either vote against it or break their supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberal government by voting in favour.
A number of Bloc Québécois MPs voiced support for the motion, while some NDP MPs said the motion should seek to order a broader committee study on foreign interference rather than focusing on Beijing’s reported interference in the 2019 and 2021 elections.