NDP joins Bloc in saying it won’t back Conservatives non-confidence motion

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he will not be supporting Pierre Poilievre’s non-confidence motion next week.

Singh’s announcement on Thursday coupled with the Bloc Quebecois signalling their intention to vote against a Conservative motion of non-confidence all but assures the country will not be plunged into an early fall election.

“New Democrats came to Ottawa to get stuff done, to work for people to fight for people, not to play Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative games. So we will not be supporting Pierre Poilievre’s motion,” Singh told reporters outside the House of Commons on Thursday.

“His plan is to not only cut pharmacare, he wants to cut healthcare, he wants to cut pensions, he wants to cut dental care,” Singh said, adding his party plans to strengthen those policies. “The decision moving forward is far too important for Canadians and for the middle class and so that is why we’re not going to let Pierre Poilievre tell us what to do.”

Poilievre said he will put forward a motion for debate on Sept. 24, and has specifically challenged Singh to back it.

When pressed by reporters as to why the NDP are giving the Liberals “another chance” by not triggering a federal election, Singh said it would be up to Canadians to decide.

“Canadians will have that decision to make when the election comes. And when that election comes we want to make it very clear, I do not believe that Justin Trudeau deserves a second chance. He has let you down and it has meant that people are worse off. If things are bad now, Pierre Poilievre is proposing a future that will be even worse.”

Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet said Wednesday he would not be supporting the non-confidence motion, saying he and his MPs work for Quebec, not the Conservatives.

Blanchet said the Tory motion is essentially asking MPs to replace Trudeau with Poilievre. 

Blanchet has previously indicated he is willing to vote with the Liberals on confidence motions, but he has some stipulations.

The Conservatives don’t have enough votes to pass a motion with just one of the Bloc or the NDP.