Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces a confidence vote today but there’s little chance his minority Liberal government will fall in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Justin Trudeau and his ministers face questions from opposition MPs as the Commons’ special committee on COVID-19 meets in-person and via video conference. MPs will vote on a motion to approve $87 billion in spending. 0:00
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces a confidence vote today but there’s little chance his minority Liberal government will fall in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trudeau assured the support of New Democrat MPs by announcing Tuesday that his government is extending the $2,000-a-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit for another eight weeks.
In return for extending the CERB, NDP spokesperson Melanie Richer said New Democrat MPs will vote in favour this evening of the supplementary spending estimates — some $87 billion in planned, primarily pandemic-related, government spending.
Only about $6 billion actually involves new spending; the other $81 billion has already been approved by Parliament.
Because the Liberals hold only a minority of seats in the House of Commons, they need the support of at least one of the main opposition parties to pass legislation and avoid defeat on confidence votes.
