Justin Trudeau’s October 30 ‘deadline’: Opposition says working to topple govt after demand not met

Canada news: Bloc Québécois, a Quebec nationalist party has said that it plans to work with other opposition parties in Canada's Parliament to topple Prime Minister Justin Trudeau' s minority government, according to an AP report. Notably, this comes as Canada's parliamentary elections are expected some time next year.

Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party has a minority 153 seats in Canada's 338-seat House of Commons and thus relies on opposition consensus to pass legislations, it noted. In the run-up to the upcoming elections, however, his party is trailing the Conservatives in polls. Trudeau himself is seeking a fourth term to lead the country and would the first in 100 years to do so, if he wins.

Trudeau on Shaky Ground

Speaking to reporters on October 29, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said Trudeau's “days are numbered” after the Liberals failed to meet his demand to boost old age security payments for seniors.

But, Blanchet and his party will need support from others in the house — namely the leftist New Democratic Party and the Conservatives. Overall, the NDP has so far backed Trudeau's government, but leader Jagmeet Singh has recently said their support would now be based on each proposed bill.

Trudeau has dismissed a request by some members of his own party not to run again, which came after the Liberals' recent defeats in special elections in the Toronto and Montreal districts.

Conservatives Leading Polls

Latest polls by Nanos Research show the Conservatives leading 39 per cent to 26 per cent, with the NDP at third, with 20 per cent. The poll of 1,047 respondents has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, according to the Canadian public opinion and research company.

“The NDP does not want an election now because it fears struggling to retain the seats it currently holds. The party’s upside is still limited. It is hoping that the unpopular Trudeau stays and that it overtakes his Liberals in the polls," Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto told AP.

(With inputs from AP)