Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre’s motion to vote non-confidence in the prime minister and the government was voted down by the Liberals, the NDP and Bloc Québécois.The motion, tabled Tuesday, was one singular statement: The motion simply states: “The House has no confidence in the Prime Minister and the Government.”The motion was defeated 127 to 211. If MPs had voted in favour of the non-confidence motion, it would have triggered a snap election. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who weeks prior had ripped up the NDP-Liberal Supply and Confidence Agreement that was keeping their coalition in place, said before the vote his party would not support Poilievre’s motion because he doesn’t want the Tory leader to “call the shots.”“We’re going to vote against Conservative cuts and against the Conservative motion,” Singh said Tuesday.Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet on Wednesday ahead of the vote said he plans to bring down Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government “before Christmas” — but he wants to use Trudeau’s minority government to usher through bills in Quebec’s interest first. .During Question Period before the vote, Trudeau was asked by House Speaker Greg Fergus to withdraw a statement he made following inaudible ruckus heard from both sides of the aisle. Poilievre had just described at length the opulent Manhattan penthouse the Liberals awarded to Tom Clark, Consul General of Canada in New York — complete with "a hand-crafted copper soaking tub," read Poilievre from the real estate pamphlet. "Did the prime minister go and inspect this palace in the sky on his recent trip to New York?"More ruckus in the House, and a general admonishment from Fergus. "Mr. Speaker, don't worry, on this side of the house, we're used to casual homophobic comments from the other side of the House," said Trudeau.Several minutes pass with the Commons microphone's muted. "Colleagues, I heard comments that, because it was not on microphone, I chose not to stand up, I would ask nonetheless that we all treat each other with a presumption of honour and respect," said Rota."And I'll ask the prime minister to please withdraw that comment.""Mr. Speaker, standing up to bullies requires us to call them out on their crap sometimes," said Trudeau."I'd invite the prime minister again to rise on his feet," said Rota."Mr. Speaker, I will happily withdraw my comment if the member who suggested that I was sharing a bathtub with Tom Clarke stands up, takes responsibility for his (inaudible)." The prime minister's microphone was muted."As I'd indicated, I was not able to hear, or track the source of that statement," said Rota."And I'm just asking the prime minister to be the better person, and to please just withdraw the comment and start his question again.""Mr. Speaker, I withdraw the comment about defecating. Using the word 'crap.' I know 'crap' is unparliamentary. But when someone says something that is clearly homophobic, not them, I'm not accusing them of being homophobic…"Rota accepted the withdrawn statement about using the word 'crap', though he did not press the prime minister on withdrawing his 'homophobic' remark. "The Speaker chose, for the reputation of this House, for us to move on from that comment," Rota told Trudeau.
Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre’s motion to vote non-confidence in the prime minister and the government was voted down by the Liberals, the NDP and Bloc Québécois.The motion, tabled Tuesday, was one singular statement: The motion simply states: “The House has no confidence in the Prime Minister and the Government.”The motion was defeated 127 to 211. If MPs had voted in favour of the non-confidence motion, it would have triggered a snap election. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who weeks prior had ripped up the NDP-Liberal Supply and Confidence Agreement that was keeping their coalition in place, said before the vote his party would not support Poilievre’s motion because he doesn’t want the Tory leader to “call the shots.”“We’re going to vote against Conservative cuts and against the Conservative motion,” Singh said Tuesday.Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet on Wednesday ahead of the vote said he plans to bring down Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government “before Christmas” — but he wants to use Trudeau’s minority government to usher through bills in Quebec’s interest first. .During Question Period before the vote, Trudeau was asked by House Speaker Greg Fergus to withdraw a statement he made following inaudible ruckus heard from both sides of the aisle. Poilievre had just described at length the opulent Manhattan penthouse the Liberals awarded to Tom Clark, Consul General of Canada in New York — complete with "a hand-crafted copper soaking tub," read Poilievre from the real estate pamphlet. "Did the prime minister go and inspect this palace in the sky on his recent trip to New York?"More ruckus in the House, and a general admonishment from Fergus. "Mr. Speaker, don't worry, on this side of the house, we're used to casual homophobic comments from the other side of the House," said Trudeau.Several minutes pass with the Commons microphone's muted. "Colleagues, I heard comments that, because it was not on microphone, I chose not to stand up, I would ask nonetheless that we all treat each other with a presumption of honour and respect," said Rota."And I'll ask the prime minister to please withdraw that comment.""Mr. Speaker, standing up to bullies requires us to call them out on their crap sometimes," said Trudeau."I'd invite the prime minister again to rise on his feet," said Rota."Mr. Speaker, I will happily withdraw my comment if the member who suggested that I was sharing a bathtub with Tom Clarke stands up, takes responsibility for his (inaudible)." The prime minister's microphone was muted."As I'd indicated, I was not able to hear, or track the source of that statement," said Rota."And I'm just asking the prime minister to be the better person, and to please just withdraw the comment and start his question again.""Mr. Speaker, I withdraw the comment about defecating. Using the word 'crap.' I know 'crap' is unparliamentary. But when someone says something that is clearly homophobic, not them, I'm not accusing them of being homophobic…"Rota accepted the withdrawn statement about using the word 'crap', though he did not press the prime minister on withdrawing his 'homophobic' remark. "The Speaker chose, for the reputation of this House, for us to move on from that comment," Rota told Trudeau.
