Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing a growing threat to his power after key ally Jagmeet Singh vowed to topple him, sparking an election. Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), said he would present a formal motion of no-confidence against the Liberal government when the House of Commons returns from its winter break on January 27.
If all opposition parties back the motion, Trudeau will be out of office after over nine years as prime minister, and an election will take place. Polls over the past year show the Liberals would be badly defeated by the official opposition Conservatives, who accuse Trudeau of being too beholden to big business.
The NDP leader says that “no matter who is leading the Liberal Party,” the government’s time is up, and Singh has promised to back the motion. The Bloc Quebecois party also plans to support the motion, with its leader stating there’s no scenario where Trudeau survives.
Trudeau was seen as smiling during a cabinet shuffle earlier this week but did not comment on his finance minister’s shock resignation. Constitutional experts say Governor General Mary Simon would reject any attempt by the Conservatives to hold a no-confidence vote before the end of the year.
The polls showing a bad defeat for the Liberals also have implications for the NDP, which faces its own electoral risks. Singh saw an opportunity to replace the Liberals as the first choice for voters who oppose the Conservatives and is taking steps quickly to capitalize on this momentum.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/key-ally-canada-pm-trudeau-says-he-will-vote-bring-him-down-2024-12-20