Trudeau faces no-confidence vote

OTTAWA: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau´s main rival in Canada´s parliament on Tuesday introduced a motion of no confidence in the ruling Liberals, in the first major test of his unpopular minority government.

Following a debate in the House of Commons, a vote on the long-shot Conservative motion is scheduled on Wednesday.

Far ahead in public opinion polls, Tory leader Pierre Poilievre has been itching for a snap election since the leftist New Democratic Party (NDP) earlier this month tore up a coalition agreement with the Liberals, leaving the Trudeau administration vulnerable to being toppled.

Kicking off the debate, a combative Poilievre railed against Trudeau for what he said was a failure to address soaring costs of living, a housing crisis and crime, while doubling the national debt.

He said the promise of Canada, “after nine years of Liberal government, is broken.”

If elected prime minister, he said he would legislate “a common sense plan to axe the tax (on carbon emissions), build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime.”