Conservatives have a plan to bring down the federal government. Will it work?

The Conservatives have unveiled their latest strategy to bring down the Liberal government next month, with a plan to introduce a motion of non-confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government as early as Jan. 30. A House of Commons committee, led by Conservative MP John Williamson, is set to convene on Jan. 7 to vote on the motion, with the goal of presenting the results to the House of Commons on Jan. 27.

The motion of non-confidence, if adopted by the House, would signal a clear expression of distrust in Trudeau’s government. The Conservative Party is working on rallying support from other opposition parties, such as the NDP, to ensure the motion’s success. With all three main opposition parties aligned in their desire to bring down the government, the Liberals are facing a high likelihood of losing the next non-confidence vote.

While three previous non-confidence motions introduced by the Conservatives in the fall failed to pass, the current alignment of opposition parties makes the success of the upcoming motion more probable. The NDP has also indicated its intention to bring forward a motion of non-confidence after the winter break, but the specifics of their approach remain to be seen.

Should the non-confidence motion pass, it would not be the first time a House committee has been used to attempt to topple a federal government. In 2005, former prime minister Paul Martin faced a similar situation when a motion calling for the government’s resignation passed in the House of Commons. Although Martin’s government did not fall immediately, it eventually succumbed to a non-confidence vote just a few months later.

In the event that Trudeau opts to prorogue Parliament to delay the motion of non-confidence, it would suspend all parliamentary activities, including committee work. This move could buy the Liberals more time to strategize and potentially secure the support needed to survive another non-confidence vote.

The political landscape is set for a showdown in the coming weeks, with the Conservatives leading the charge to bring down the government and opposition parties poised to capitalize on the opportunity. The outcome of the upcoming non-confidence motion could have far-reaching implications for the future of Trudeau’s minority government.