Trudeau Dares Opposition to Fight Election Amid Pandemic

Justin Trudeau warned opposition lawmakers they will trigger an election in Canada if they approve the creation of an “anti-corruption” committee.

The prime ministers tough talk Tuesday comes as his Liberal government, which lacks a majority in parliament, pushes back against an effort by the main rival Conservative Party to launch an investigation into an ethics scandal.

“The Conservatives put forward a motion that clearly outlines their lack of confidence in the government,” Trudeau told reporters. “The opposition is going to have to decide if they want to make this minority parliament work or whether they have lost confidence in the government.”

The opposition accuses the Liberals of misusing public funds in awarding a C$900 million ($686 million) contract to administer a coronavirus grant program for students to a charity with ties to Trudeaus family and that of his former finance minister.

Earlier Tuesday, the Conservatives amended their proposal, adding language that attempts to specify there would be no need to call an election if it is passed. The party‘s aim is merely to examine “ethical problems the Liberal government has had handing out Covid-19 contracts to its friends,” Leader Erin O’Toole said in an emailed statement.

Changes to the committee name failed to sway the Liberals, who declared the issue a matter of confidence. A vote is scheduled for Wednesday. If the Conservative motion passes, Canada would head to the polls this fall as a second wave of Covid-19 hits its major cities.

Trudeaus Travails

来源：加拿大广播公司

*骨料轮询平均值

在分裂魁所述星期二下午它会背推动委员会的调查。这使得它的左翼新民主党以确定政府的命运。

{} 21 负责人贾米特·辛格并没有指出哪些情况下他投票，并补充说，所有各方都谈判过一个委员会探测器的形状纳入政府的Covid-19消费的措施。“这从来不是我的目标，迫使选举，”他告诉记者，立法之外。 { 21} 在NDP本月撑起自由主义者在Trudeaus广泛的立法议程信任投票，但只有说服后政府为陷入困境的工人斯威特支持计划。

多数游戏

在首相有力地画反对派陷入了困境。座位加拿大广播Corp.s轮询分析师维持预测显示，自由党将有可能赢回他们在去年失去了多数选举今天举行了。

{} 26 特鲁多仍然说，他的政府没有希望加拿大人再次发送到投票箱。 {26} {} 27 “没有人愿意选举，”总理说。 “人们希望继续拥有他们的政府重点放在帮助他们在他们的工作，帮助他们在这个健康危机，这就是我们将继续集中精力。” {27} {28} 辛格wasnt购买这一点。 {} 28{15}

Support for Canadian leader wanes after surging at start of pandemic

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Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

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* Aggregate polling averages

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The separatist Bloc Quebecois said Tuesday afternoon it would back the push for a committee investigation. That leaves it up to the left-leaning New Democratic Party to determine the governments fate.

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Leader Jagmeet Singh didn‘t indicate which way he would vote, adding that all parties are in talks over the shape of a committee probe into the government’s Covid-19 spending measures. “It has never been my goal to force an election,” he told reporters outside the legislature.

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The NDP propped up the Liberals this month in a confidence vote on Trudeaus broad legislative agenda, but only after persuading the government to sweeten support programs for struggling workers.

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Majority in Play

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The prime minister has effectively painted the opposition into a corner. Seat projections maintained by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.s polling analyst show the Liberals would potentially win back the majority they lost last year were an election held today.

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Trudeau nonetheless said his government has no desire to send Canadians to the ballot box again.

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“Nobody wants elections,” the prime minister said. “People want to continue to have their government focused on helping them in their jobs, helping them in this health crisis and thats what we will continue to concentrate on.”

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Singh wasnt buying that.

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“It looks like the prime minister is trying to find a way to force an election, but he wants to blame the opposition,” the NDP leader said. “He should have the courage to explain to Canadians why he wants an election.”

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(Updates with NDP reaction in 8th paragraph.)