NDP MP Charlie Angus opposes a Conservative motion to bring down the Liberal government, creating division within the NDP on election strategy. Angus criticizes Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's tactics and believes a motion by the Conservatives would signal the end of the current parliament. This contrasts with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh's December announcement that the NDP would vote to bring down the government, though the specifics of their approach remain unclear.
NDP MP Charlie Angus says he won’t support a Conservative motion to bring down the Liberal government, signalling a divide within the NDP over how and when to try to trigger the next federal election campaign.
about his own political future, Mr. Angus spoke out against a Conservative plan to force a confidence vote soon after the House of Commons resumes sitting on Jan. 27. The Conservatives plan to schedule a meeting of the public accounts committee before then in an effort to have that committee issue a report expressing non-confidence in the government to the House, which could then be put to a vote. In an e-mail to The Globe, Mr. Angus said he cannot support efforts put forward by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. “I have a long and consistent record of opposing Mr. Poilievre’s tactics. I do not believe he is fit for leadership and will not support his procedural games,” he said. “If our party brings forward a motion it would be clear to me that this parliament will not be able to continue.” NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced on Dec. 20 – the same day Mr. Trudeau shuffled his cabinet following Chrystia Freeland’s surprise resignation from her positions of deputy prime minister and minister of finance earlier that week – that the NDP would vote to bring down the government. However, his open letter only said that the NDP would bring forward a clear motion of non-confidence. The letter was silent on how the NDP would vote on a Conservative motion. The government controls the timing of opposition days and the NDP may not get its first chance to present a motion until March. NDP House Leader Peter Julian said last week that his party “is prepared to support a committee-level non-confidence statement that describes how the Liberals let Canadians down.” But he also added that “in the past, non-confidence motions passed at committee have not worked, so we will be ready with our own motion of non-confidence.” In response to a Facebook post quoting Mr. Julian’s comments, Mr. Angus suggested he is prepared to break ranks with his own party and referenced U.S. president-elect Donald Trump. “I believe in our party but there are moments when we must put country first. Trump’s inauguration poses a serious threat. Canadians deserve a plan, not political brinkmanship. I will go back to Parliament to try my best. I will not vote with Pierre Poilievre to force an election because his vision is antithetical to everything I believe,” wrote Mr. Angus, who is not running for re-election.Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer interpreted Mr. Angus’s comments as a sign the NDP will not vote to defeat the Liberals. “This is just the latest betrayal of workers and families by Sellout Jagmeet Singh and his wacko NDP MPs who will prop up Trudeau at any cost so they can enrich themselves while making Canadians suffer,” he said in a statement. Conservative MP John Williamson, who chairs the public accounts committee, announced on Dec. 27 that he is scheduling committee meetings starting Jan. 7 to debate approving a committee report to the House of Commons expressing non-confidence in the government, which could then be put to a vote by the full House of Commons. Mr. Julian did not specify what precedents he was referring to, but the latest Conservative plan has drawn comparisons to events that occurred in 2005 during the Liberal minority government led by Prime Minister Paul Martin. Then, the Conservatives forced a vote in the House asking that a committee report be returned to the public accounts committee with an instruction that the committee amend its report so that it would call on the government resign. The motion passed and the Conservatives, Bloc Québécois and the NDP all said the government should resign, but the Liberals insisted the motion was procedural. The sequence of events prompted considerable political and academic debate. Simon Fraser University professor Andrew Heard wrote in the June 2007 edition of the Canadian Journal of Political Science that the vote should have been viewed as a confidence motion. He also noted that the Liberals said at the time that if the committee followed through and that report was adopted by the House, then it would be a confidence vote. In the end, the Martin government went on to narrowly survive further confidence votes for a few months in 2005. It ultimately fell on Nov. 28 of that year on asaying the House had lost confidence in the government. That motion was put forward by then-Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and seconded by then-NDP Leader Jack Layton.Can Trudeau prorogue? Rideau Hall is back at the centre of politicsCan Trudeau prorogue? Rideau Hall is back at the centre of politics
NDP Conservative Liberal Election Parliament
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trudeau Faces Political Challenges Amid Conservative Gains and NDP WithdrawalCanadian politics is in flux with the NDP pulling out of a crucial supply-and-confidence agreement, a Conservative candidate winning a Liberal stronghold in a federal byelection, and the Mexican president highlighting Canada's fentanyl problem. Trump's joke about Canada becoming the 51st state is seen as reassuring by Canadian Ambassador Hillman.
Read more »
NDP won't support Conservative non-confidence motion that quotes SinghNDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he won't play Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's games by voting to bring down the government on an upcoming non-confidence motion.
Read more »
NDP Leader Rejects Conservative Non-Confidence MotionNDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has refused to support the Conservatives' latest non-confidence motion, which includes his own criticisms of the Liberal government. He also highlighted the Liberals' weaknesses and reluctance to fight for people's interests, but emphasized his priority is to implement policies like expanded dental care, rather than rushing into an election.
Read more »
Conservative Leader Agrees with NDP on Liberal WeaknessConservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh share a view on the weakness of the Liberal government led by Justin Trudeau. Poilievre introduced a motion in the House of Commons, using Singh's own words to criticize the Liberals.
Read more »
Conservative Leader Poilievre Uses NDP Leader Singh's Words Against LiberalsConservative Leader Pierre Poilievre initiated debate in the House of Commons with a non-confidence motion targeting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, using quotes from NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s criticism of the Liberal government.
Read more »
Conservative Leader Uses NDP Criticism of Liberals in Non-Confidence MotionConservative Leader Pierre Poilievre introduces a motion in the House of Commons that uses NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh's harsh words against the Liberal government, aiming to hold Singh accountable for his criticism in an upcoming vote.
Read more »