“The Liberals don’t deserve another chance,” Singh declared in an open letter on Friday, solidifying the NDP’s stance against the embattled Trudeau government.
Last updated Dec 20, 2024
In a bold political move, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has confirmed that his party will introduce a non-confidence motion in the next House of Commons sitting to bring down Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government. Singh’s announcement follows a week of mounting pressure on Trudeau, exacerbated by Chrystia Freeland’s sudden resignation from cabinet.
“The Liberals don’t deserve another chance,” Singh declared in an open letter on Friday, solidifying the NDP’s stance against the embattled Trudeau government.
Until now, Singh had refrained from committing to a clear position on ousting the Liberals. Earlier in the week, Singh called for Trudeau’s resignation but was noncommittal about supporting a non-confidence motion.
The NDP’s decision follows months of friction after the party withdrew from a governance agreement with the Liberals this fall. Despite this, the NDP has supported several confidence motions, including one in December when the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois attempted unsuccessfully to topple the government. Singh’s letter signals a turning point, with all three major opposition parties now unified in their call for the Liberal government to fall. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet emphasized the urgency, stating, “It must be understood that there is no scenario in which Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government … will survive budgets, throne speeches, or opposition days.”
Blanchet is advocating for a confidence vote to be held promptly, aiming to trigger a federal election in early 2025.
The political turbulence within the Liberal Party is intensifying. Freeland’s resignation has catalyzed internal dissent, with over a dozen MPs, including Toronto MP Rob Oliphant, urging Trudeau to step aside.
Oliphant, a close ally of Trudeau since their joint election in 2008, expressed admiration for the Prime Minister’s leadership but stressed the need for change. “It is time now for him to do his part to ensure that Canada remains strong and united in the face of changing continental and global realities,” Oliphant wrote in a public letter.
The NDP’s proposed confidence motion will likely coincide with renewed efforts from the Bloc Québécois and Conservatives to unseat the government. With internal and external pressures mounting, the Liberal government faces an uncertain future.
If a confidence vote succeeds, Canadians could head to the polls sooner than anticipated, setting the stage for a high-stakes election that could reshape the country’s political landscape.