Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, has survived a second parliamentary confidence motion in less than a week after opposition parties vowed to keep his minority Liberal government alive for now.
Legislators in the House of Commons voted 207-121 to defeat a bid by the official opposition Conservative party to topple Trudeau, who faces increasing voter fatigue after almost nine years in power.
Last Thursday he easily brushed off an initial Conservative motion to bring him down.
The Conservatives, who have a big lead in the polls ahead of an election that must be held by the end of October in 2025, say Canadians cannot afford a planned increase in the federal carbon tax and accused Trudeau of presiding over high prices and rising crime.
To trigger an election they need the backing of every single opposition legislator.
But the separatist Bloc Québécois, which wants independence for the province of Quebec, backed Trudeau. The party said last week it would back Trudeau until at least the end of this month in return for boosting seniors’ pensions.
Even if the Bloc does turn against Trudeau, he could still be saved by the left-leaning New Democratic party (NDP).
A Nanos poll released on 27 September showed the Conservatives on 42% public support, far ahead of the NDP on 22% and the Liberals on 21%. Given this would result in a huge Conservative victory if replicated in an election, the NDP could be tempted to keep Trudeau in power, in the hope its own fortunes might recover.
Source: theguardian.com
