Trudeau faces vote of confidence in Canadian parl, likely to survive

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau looks set to survive a vote of confidence on Wednesday after his main political rival appeared to fail to muster enough support to end nine years of Liberal Party rule.

Legislators in the House of Commons are due to vote on a motion by the opposition declaring a lack of confidence in Trudeau’s minority Liberal government. Trudeau, whose popularity has slumped amid unhappiness over rising prices and a housing crisis, became more politically vulnerable this month when the smaller New Democratic Party tore up a 2022 deal to keep him in power until the 2025 election.

The Conservatives have a big lead in the opinion polls ahead of an election that must be called by the end of October 2025. Trudeau, while acknowledging public unhappiness, accused the Conservatives of playing politics rather than focusing on what people need.

Poilievre needs the backing of the other two major opposition parties in the House to bring down Trudeau and both have made clear they will not cooperate. The separatist Bloc Quebecois has said it would back Trudeau in exchange for legislation to increase benefits for seniors.

The NDP, like the Bloc , also said it would not vote to bring Trudeau down.