OTTAWA: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau easily survived a confidence vote on Wednesday after his main political rival failed to muster enough support to end nine years of Liberal Party rule.
Lawmakers in the House of Commons voted 211-120 to defeat a motion by the official opposition Conservative Party declaring a lack of confidence in Trudeau's minority Liberal government.
Trudeau, whose popularity has plummeted amid anger over rising prices and a housing crisis, became more politically vulnerable this month when the smaller New Democratic Party broke a 2022 deal to keep him in power until an election scheduled for late October 2025.
“Today was a good day for the country because I don't think Canadians want an election,” said Karina Gould, the top Liberal in charge of government affairs in the House.
Despite surviving the vote, Trudeau faces other challenges. Earlier in the day, the leader of the separatist Bloc Quebecois said he would work to overthrow the government unless it quickly agreed to the Bloc's demands.
Trudeau's Liberals will soon face a second vote on one of their budget measures, which is also a confidence issue, but are expected to survive that as well. Officials said the vote could take place on Wednesday or Thursday.
“We're going to work piece by piece, issue by issue, negotiating with the different political parties,” Gould told reporters.
The centre-right conservatives have a big lead in opinion polls ahead of elections due to be held at the end of October 2025.
The Conservatives say they want an election to be held as soon as possible because Canadians cannot afford the planned increase in the federal carbon tax. They also say federal spending and crime have skyrocketed under the Liberal government.
“Enough is enough. Costs have risen, taxes have risen, crime has increased and time has run out,” the Conservatives said in a statement.
Trudeau, while acknowledging public discontent, has accused the Conservatives of playing politics rather than focusing on what people need.
Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet said he would keep Trudeau in power at least until the end of December if he gave more money to seniors and promised to protect a system of tariffs and quotas that protect dairy farmers, many of whom live in Quebec.
If the government did not formally do so by Oct. 29, the Bloc would talk to opposition parties with a view to ousting Trudeau, he told reporters.
But to win, he would need the support of the NDP, which also endorsed Trudeau on Wednesday. Polls suggest the party would also be in trouble if an election were called now.
