The fall sitting of Parliament in Ottawa has been marked by heated debate and accusations of homophobia and partisan jabs. Conservative MP Garnett Genuis came under fire for a comment he made about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau engaging in a bathtub with other leaders, leading to a tense exchange in the House of Commons. Trudeau accused the Tories of bullying and homophobia, while NDP MP Heather McPherson called the remark homophobic and disgusting. The Conservatives have been making back-to-back attempts to bring down the minority government, with the first non-confidence motion failing to pass.
The majority of MPs voted against the initial non-confidence motion, which would have likely triggered an election campaign if successful. The Conservatives are now accusing the NDP and Bloc Québécois of propping up a government they have criticized. However, the NDP and Bloc have rejected this framing, stating that the vote essentially asks them to support Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over Trudeau. Poilievre introduced a second non-confidence motion, stating that the House of Commons has lost confidence in the Liberal government and offering Canadians the option to “axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget, and stop the crime.”
NDP MP Charlie Angus argued that the confidence vote was about whether the leader of the Opposition should be trusted. The series of confidence votes comes after the NDP ended the supply-and-confidence deal that had stabilized the government since early 2022. The Bloc Québécois has given the Liberals until Oct. 29 to pass two private member’s bills related to supply management and old age security to avoid an election before Christmas. MPs are set to vote on the latest Tory motion on Oct. 1, as well as another confidence motion related to the Liberals’ capital gains tax changes on Oct. 2. The tensions in Parliament have continued to escalate, with Speaker Greg Fergus playing the role of referee in question period and beyond.
The accusations of homophobia and partisan jabs have taken centre stage in the House of Commons, with MPs engaging in heated exchanges. The fall sitting of Parliament has been marked by hostilities and attempts by the Conservatives to bring down the minority government. The NDP and Bloc Québécois have rejected the Conservatives’ framing of events, stating that the non-confidence vote essentially asks them to support Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. MPs will vote on the latest Tory motion on Oct. 1 and on another confidence motion related to the Liberals’ capital gains tax changes on Oct. 2.
