Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP), has announced plans to introduce a motion in the new year aimed at toppling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government. This marks a significant shift for Singh, whose centre-left NDP had previously supported Trudeau’s minority government in exchange for the adoption of shared political priorities.
Singh’s move comes as the NDP becomes the last of Canada’s three major opposition parties to formally turn against the Liberal leader. This development leaves Trudeau facing a likely non-confidence vote, further jeopardizing his ability to remain in power.
Singh made his announcement following a tumultuous week for Trudeau, who is already under growing pressure within his own party. The resignation of Chrystia Freeland, Trudeau's deputy prime minister and finance minister, on Monday added to the prime minister's political troubles, triggering calls for his resignation from within the Liberal Party.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Singh declared, "The Liberals don’t deserve another chance," and pledged to bring forward a clear motion of non-confidence in the next sitting of the House of Commons, which is scheduled for late January.
Canada’s next federal election is due to be held no later than October 2025, but a non-confidence motion could trigger an earlier election if passed by a majority in Parliament. With the Liberals currently holding a minority government, a motion of no-confidence could destabilize the government and force an election.
Singh’s announcement follows similar calls from other opposition leaders. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has repeatedly called for an election as soon as possible, while Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet has said a confidence vote should happen quickly to pave the way for an early election.
Trudeau’s leadership has been increasingly under scrutiny after a series of setbacks, including Freeland’s unexpected resignation. In her resignation letter, Freeland cited political disagreements with Trudeau on how best to navigate Canada’s relationship with the U.S., especially in light of tariff threats from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Trump had threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods unless progress was made on securing the U.S.-Canada border.
Freeland warned that these tariffs posed a "grave challenge" for Canada, and accused Trudeau of prioritizing "costly political gimmicks" over securing Canada’s economic interests. The resignation, along with mounting public calls for Trudeau to step down, has further eroded his position within the Liberal Party. As of now, at least 19 out of 153 Liberal MPs have publicly called for Trudeau’s resignation, according to a Globe and Mail tally.
The most recent call for Trudeau’s departure came from Robert Oliphant, the Liberal MP for Don Valley West in Toronto. In a public letter released on Friday, Oliphant acknowledged the party’s achievements under Trudeau’s leadership but said that Trudeau’s continued leadership had become "a key obstacle" to the party’s success in the next election.
Trudeau has yet to respond to the calls for his resignation, although reports indicate he plans to take the holiday break to reflect on his next steps. In the meantime, Trudeau has moved to address the growing vacancies in his cabinet following Freeland’s resignation, scheduling a cabinet shuffle on Friday.
As Canada’s political landscape remains in flux, all eyes will be on the House of Commons when it resumes in January. With opposition parties united in their desire to see Trudeau’s government fall, the coming months could set the stage for an early election.
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