The House of Commons rejected the Conservative Party’s proposed non-confidence motion related to the upcoming carbon hike with a vote of 204 to 116 on March 21.
The attempt to bring down the government, described by the Tories as allowing Canadians to vote in a “carbon tax election,” comes as the Tories have decried the 23 percent hike for the federal carbon tax come April 1.
The results almost mirror those of another motion put forward by the Tories earlier this week in which they called for MPs to vote to stop the carbon tax increase. The motion was rejected by a vote of 205 to 119. Both carbon tax motion votes this week were split along party lines with no dissenters.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Poilievre spoke on his motion and said raising carbon pricing by 23 percent will hurt Canadians who are already struggling financially.
“We cannot in good conscience stand by while this prime minister imposes more misery and suffering on the Canadian people,” Mr. Poilievre told the House of Commons.
Liberal House leader Kevin Lamoureux defended the government’s carbon tax position and accused the Tories of not only wanting to scrap the tax but eliminate the rebates as well. The Liberals have long claimed that eight in 10 Canadian households will receive more from the benefit than they pay out in carbon tax.
Mr. Poilievre has argued, citing figures released by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, that most households will see a net loss from the carbon tax even with the rebates taken into account.
The Tory Leader has criticized the carbon tax for months amid an affordability crunch. He had asked Mr. Trudeau earlier this week allow his party to vote freely on the motion, as some Liberal MPs have previously sided with Tories on the matter.
Other parties in the House have been steadily voting in block on the issue, with the Bloc Québécois and the NDP strongly supporting the carbon tax.
Bloc MP Jean-Denis Garon called the motion “unacceptable” and “dishonest” during debates today, and claimed that it excludes Quebec because the federal carbon tax does not apply to the province which has its own cap-and-trade system. He added that the Bloc has voted for non-confidence measures in the past but only when they were in the interests of Quebec.
Representing the NDP, MP Laurel Collins argued in favour of the carbon tax to deal with the “climate crisis.” Ms. Collins accused the Tories of denying the existence of a climate crisis and accused the Liberals of failing to deliver on their climate promises.
The April 1 carbon tax increase is expected to have an immediate impact at the pump in most provinces. The current surcharge of more than 14 cents will rise to more than 17 cents per litre of gasoline.
Numerous polls over the past few months suggest that a majority of Canadians are against the upcoming hike. Seven provincial premiers have also called for a pause on the tax hike.
