A groundswell of discontent is sweeping across Canada as citizens express their frustration with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership, with over 286,000 Canadians signing petition e-4701 as of this writing.
The petition, sponsored by Conservative Member of the Parliament Michelle Ferreri who represents the district of Peterborough-Kawartha, calls for a vote of non-confidence to be brought at the House of Commons. And if won, the petition asks for a snap federal election within 45 days.
The petition says that the current government is not acting in the best interests of its citizens, and that “the policies of this government aren’t aligning with the crisis Canada is facing: housing costs, infringement of civil liberties, highest inflation in history, unbalanced immigration policies, taxation to the point of poverty, weakening of our economy by importing natural resources that Canada already has and under-utilizes.”
It emphasizes a lack of confidence in Trudeau, citing five ethics investigations and “Canada’s reputation being tarnished on a global scale under his leadership.”
In starting this petition, Ferrari harps on the frustrations of many Canadians: on top of the housing crisis, inflation has surged post-COVID-19, leading to a record number of Canadians relying on food banks. Trudeau’s carbon tax, aimed at environmental goals, further burdens citizens and has become deeply unpopular, with a majority calling for its removal or postponement.
But Ferreri also misleads: with the current numbers in the House of Commons — where the Liberals hold 158 seats, while Ferreri’s Conservative colleagues only have 117 — a vote of no confidence is all but far-fetched.
What it succeeds in doing, as James Carafano of the Heritage Foundation said in the European Conservative, is embarrassing the Liberals and the NDP (with whom the Liberals have a confidence and supply agreement).
The petition, while driving the point that Canada is ready — if not hungry — for a new leader, doesn’t provide real actionable solutions, and until there are, it will be a long wait still for its citizens. The next general election isn’t until October 2025 – unless a vote of no confidence succeeds.
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