New York [US], September 27: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau survived a no-confidence vote brought by the opposition Conservative Party in Parliament on Wednesday.
Trudeau's minority Liberal government survived thanks to lawmakers from the opposition New Democratic Party and the Bloc Quebecois joining to vote down the measure.
The Conservatives, however, have promised that more such votes against Trudeau are coming. If any of these were to pass, it would trigger early elections. Trudeau, who has been in office since 2015, has been struggling with persistently poor approval ratings.
His reputation as a progressive superstar has long since fallen into disrepair.
Although he is credited with leading Canada forward on issues like the climate crisis, gender equality and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, scandals such as suppressed corruption investigations have tarnished his image amid a tough economic landscape.
In a significant blow, the left-leaning NDP said earlier this month it was withdrawing support for Trudeau's minority government. The deal had seen the NDP lend its votes to help get some Liberal initiatives passed through Parliament in Ottawa.
But NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said the Liberals had become "too weak" and "too selfish" to successfully take on the Conservatives. "The deal is done," he posted on X on September 4. But the party stopped short of saying it was willing to trigger a snap election.
The next general election is scheduled to take place by October 2025 at the latest. At present, many see the Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre as the most likely winner.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron and Trudeau on Thursday committed to work towards "open and decarbonized" economies and for international cooperation on artificial intelligence.
Before sitting down for talks, they made a public display of their close working relationship and outlined a common vision on many issues.
"France and Canada share a beautiful common language and shared values," declared Trudeau, saying it was important to spread their values and have "a positive impact in these times of great challenges."
"We have an extremely aligned agenda. We believe in open economies, we believe in the decarbonisation of our economies," said Macron.
Source: Qatar Tribune