The Conservatives will reconvene the House of Commons public accounts committee early in the new year to table a non-confidence motion aiming to bring down the Liberal government.
Conservative MP John Williamson, who chairs the committee, said on social media on Dec. 27 the committee is being recalled on Jan. 7 to discuss a motion of non-confidence. He said the motion is to be tabled in Parliament when the House returns from its holiday break on Jan. 27, and could be voted on as early as Jan. 30.
“Given the oversight mandate of the Public Accounts Committee, it is appropriate for its members to begin these non-confidence deliberations while Parliament is adjourned until late January,” Williamson said in a letter posted to social media platform X.
In a release, the Tories said the motion will simply read, “the Committee report to the House the following recommendation: That the House has no confidence in the Prime Minister and the Government.”
Williamson said in his letter that all three opposition parties—the Tories, NDP, and Bloc Québécois—agree they do not have confidence in the Liberal government.
Williamson added that if any Liberal committee members attempt to filibuster and delay the motion’s passage, he will respond by scheduling additional meetings throughout January.
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The public accounts committee, which typically oversees whether government spending is properly allocated, like other committees can adopt reports that include recommendations for the House of Commons to take certain actions. If the committee were to pass a motion with such a recommendation, the House may choose to debate and vote on it, which would make it an official motion of non-confidence.
During the last sitting of Parliament, the Conservatives introduced three non-confidence motions to bring down the Liberal government and trigger an election, all of which were unsuccessful. While the New Democrats voted against all three of the motions, their leader Jagmeet Singh announced on Dec. 20 that his party would table a non-confidence motion to bring down the government after the House reconvenes on Jan. 27.
Singh’s announcement came at the end of a tumultuous week that saw Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resign from cabinet hours before she was set to table the Fall Economic Statement. This led to all major party leaders and several Liberal MPs to call for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign.
The NDP previously had a supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberals, under which they supported the governing party in key confidence votes in exchange for legislation sought by the NDP. Singh ended the agreement on Sept. 4, saying his party would decide on how to vote on future confidence motions on a case-by-case basis.
Last week, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also wrote a letter to Governor General Mary Simon and urged her to recall MPs as early as possible for a non-confidence vote, given the stated lack of confidence in the government from all opposition parties. Such move would be outside the prerogative of the governor general, who typically acts on advice from the prime minister.
