MPs shut down a Conservative motion of non-confidence brought against the Trudeau government.
In a House of Commons vote Thursday afternoon, members of Parliament voted 204 to 116 against bringing forth a vote of no confidence, with all Liberal, NDP, Green and Bloc Quebecois MPs voting against.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced that he would be calling the motion on Wednesday during a Conservative caucus meeting if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau refused to back down on his impending carbon tax hike, scheduled for April 1.
“Today I am announcing that I am giving Trudeau one last chance to spike his hike. One last chance and only one more day,” Poilievre said during a Conservative caucus meeting Wednesday morning.
“If Trudeau does not declare today an end to his forthcoming tax increases on food, gas and heat, that we will introduce a motion of non-confidence in the prime minister.”
The increase will bring the tax from $65 to $80 per tonne of carbon dioxide emitted on April 1.
Canadians will also feel the hike at the pump, as they will soon be paying an additional three cents per litre on gas, bringing the total levy to $0.18 per litre as of next month.
The increase will affect home heating as well, raising it from $0.12 per cubic metre to $0.15.
The motion reads “that the House declare non-confidence in the Prime Minister and his costly government for increasing the carbon tax 23 % on April 1, as part of his plan to quadruple the tax while Canadians cannot afford to eat, heat and house themselves, and call for the House to be dissolved so Canadians can vote in a carbon tax election.
”The carbon tax increase has also been widely opposed provincially, with seven out of 10 premiers now voicing public opposition to the hike.
A motion to oppose the looming carbon tax hike passed in the Nova Scotia Legislature on Tuesday and received support from all parties unanimously.
“While Liberals & NDP have flip-flopped, PCs have been clear we want the carbon tax scrapped entirely,” posted the Nova Scotia PC Party on X.
The ratio of premiers who oppose the hike mirrors the sentiment felt by many Canadians in general, with nearly 70% now in opposition to the coming hike as well.
A poll done by Leger for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation found that the majority of Canadians, 69%, were opposed to the hike, while the remaining 31% supported it.