Pierre Poilievre Pushes Governor General to Advise Trudeau on Confidence Test Amid Jagmeet Singh’s Non-Support Declaration

20 Dec: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has formally urged Governor General Mary Simon to advise Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to recall the House of Commons for a non-confidence vote. This action follows NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s declaration that his party intends to withdraw support from the Liberal government and table a motion of non-confidence in 2025.

Poilievre, speaking at a press conference on Parliament Hill, emphasized the urgency of testing Trudeau’s parliamentary support, citing widespread discontent within the opposition and among Liberal MPs themselves. Singh’s letter to Canadians, released earlier the same day, described the Liberal government as having “failed in its duty to work for the people” and declared it undeserving of another chance.

This development compounds mounting pressure on Trudeau, who earlier in the day reshuffled his cabinet in a bid to stabilize his government. While the shuffle brought eight new Liberal MPs into ministerial roles and reassigned four ministers, it did little to quell speculation about Trudeau’s leadership future.

The Opposition’s Strategy
Singh’s move comes after months of equivocation on whether the NDP would formally join the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois in pushing for an election. In his letter, Singh called on Trudeau to resign and stated that his party would introduce a non-confidence motion during the next House session. Conservative Leader Poilievre criticized Singh for previous instances where the NDP supported the Liberals despite signaling discontent, labeling Singh’s stance a “political stunt.”

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet also weighed in, suggesting that Singh’s decision, although delayed, was welcome. Blanchet reaffirmed that there is no viable path for the Liberal government to survive upcoming opposition days or budget votes.

Leadership in Question
Trudeau’s reshuffle, which sought to bring stability to his embattled minority government, coincides with escalating internal dissent. With at least a dozen Liberal MPs calling for new leadership, Trudeau’s position appears increasingly precarious. Analysts suggest proroguing Parliament may be Trudeau’s next move, providing time for a possible leadership race within the Liberal Party.

Rising Tensions
Both Singh and Poilievre highlighted growing economic pressures, including looming U.S. tariffs under incoming President Donald Trump, as a justification for early elections. While Singh called on Canadians to “vote for a government that works for them,” Poilievre framed the Liberal government as incapable of addressing critical challenges.

The House of Commons is currently in recess and scheduled to resume on January 27, 2025. It remains unclear whether Governor General Mary Simon will intervene, as such decisions traditionally rest with the Speaker after consultation with the government.

With Trudeau’s political ground becoming increasingly unstable, the likelihood of an early federal election continues to rise, signaling potential shifts in Canada’s political landscape.