Justin Trudeau’s Liberals survive first confidence vote [Video]

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has survived his first confidence vote of the fall sitting.

Members of Parliament voted on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s attempt to bring down the Liberal government after question period on Wednesday, and the non-confidence motion was defeated 211-120.

As expected after a testy Tuesday debate, the parties that hold the balance of power in this minority Parliament – the Bloc Quebecois and NDP – backed the government, giving Trudeau the votes he needed to continue governing.

In voting down what Poilievre has framed as a choice “to give Canadians the carbon tax election they want,” NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet indicated they aren’t yet ready to help force Canadians into an early election, which polling indicates the Conservatives would likely win.

With the outcome of the opposition motion all but expected in the hours leading up to it, political posturing ramped up over future tests of the Liberal …