Canada: Trudeau Survives Third No-Confidence Vote

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Facts

  • Justin Trudeau's minority Liberal government survived a no-confidence vote, 180 to 152, on Monday, as the Jagmeet Singh-led New Democrats opposed the motion brought by the Conservatives.[1][2]
  • This is the third failed parliamentary confidence vote since the Liberal-New Democrats deal collapsed in September. If successful, the vote would trigger a new federal election.[1][3]
  • On Tuesday, lawmakers approved CA$21.6B ($15.2B) in supplementary funding to the 2024 budget despite the Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois objecting to additional spending.[4][5]
  • Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre highlighted reported tensions between Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland over increased spending, including a potential $250 rebate for people earning $150K or less.[6][7][8]
  • The country's 2023-24 fiscal year deficit has been projected at CA$46.8B ($33B), above the target of CA$40.1B ($28.36B) that Freeland set for the government last year. On Dec. 16, Ottawa will present its budget update, showing a revised deficit estimate.[9][10]

Sources: [1]Global News, [2]House of Commons of Canada, [3]BBC News, [4]National Post, [5]Canada's National Observer, [6]CTV News, [7]The Globe and Mail, [8]Bloomberg, [9]CBC and [10]Reuters.

Narratives

  • Right narrative, as provided by TNC and Toronto Sun. The New Democrats have put their leader's interests ahead of the country's, as it's clear that they opted not to call for an early election before February 2025 to ensure that Singh will be eligible for a House of Commons pension. Until then, Trudeau will continue in office despite his administration blowing past its self-imposed deficit target.
  • Left narrative, as provided by Toronto Star and Toronto Star. The New Democrats did end their deal with the Liberals, but that doesn't mean that they had to help the Conservatives topple the government. After all, the Liberals are still the lesser evil — and all the alarmism from the right wing over the country's finances, despite Canada having the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio and deficit in the G7, reasserts that.