'A carbon tax election': MPs debate Conservative non-confidence motion in Liberal government

While MPs in the House of Commons debate the Conservatives' non-confidence motion today, the Liberals have turned it into a referendum on Conservative policies.

While MPs in the House of Commons debate the Conservatives’ non-confidence motion today, the Liberals have turned it into a referendum on Conservative policies.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called for “a carbon tax election,” and a return to what he called “the Canadian promise” in a 20-minute speech kicking off debate Tuesday morning.

“That promise, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal prime minister, is broken,” Poilievre said.

The Conservative motion, which states “That the House has no confidence in the Prime Minister and the government,” is being debated Tuesday. MPs will vote on Wednesday.

Poilievre first promised this motion weeks ago, after NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s announcement he’d scrapped the supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberals. The end of the pact meant that, for the first time in two-and-a-half years, NDP support of the government was no longer guaranteed.

However, Singh and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet confirmed last week they’ll vote against the motion, throwing cold water on the possibility of toppling the government and going into a snap election.

Poilievre, in his speech in the House of Commons on Tuesday, reiterated his plan to “axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime,” and again promised “this will be a carbon tax referendum, a carbon tax election.”