THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Marcus Powlowski says he’d be on board if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decides to prorogue parliament to avoid losing a non-confidence vote.
The Liberal representative on Wednesday said it could give the Liberal party a chance to reset, and potentially pick a new leader if Trudeau decides to step down after more than nine years at Canada’s helm.
The prime minister is facing increasing calls from within his own party to resign, and it's an almost certainty NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will vote in favour of the next vote of non-confidence that hits the House of Commons floor, something that could happen by month’s end when Parliament resumes sitting.
Prorogation is a tool available in a parliamentary system, and it’s not like past prime ministers, including Conservative Stephen Harper, haven’t used it at some point during their terms in office, Powlowski said.
Still, there needs to be a reason, he said.
“I think a lot of people are hoping is that we prorogue Parliament, we have a leadership race and we get a new leader and that new leader brings us into the election,” Powlowski said.
The second-term MP, first elected in 2019, said prorogation gives a pause to Parliament and allows for a reset.
“Yes, we would be using it political to regroup, but I think it would put us in a position where we could go into a real election,” Powlowski said.
Is it fair to the Canadian public? Powlowski said it’s not much different that what’s already happening.
“In reality, we have been suspended for the past three months because the confidence dispute with the Conservatives and the opposition, which have refused to allow us to basically pass any legislation anyhow. So, I don’t think a lot’s going to change.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre last month suggested it might be unconstitutional at this time to prorogue Parliament, noting it doesn't give the opposition a chance to test the confidence of a "crumbling" Liberal government.
Powlowski, who still backs the prime minister, at least as far as letting Trudeau decide if and when he should step aside, nevertheless said the writing is on the wall.
The pollsters agree.
An Angus Reid poll, released on New Year’s Eve, shows Trudeau’s support is down to 16 per cent, trailing the Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre at 45 per cent and the NDP, at 21 per cent.
Trudeau’s approval rating in the poll plummeted to 22 per cent.
Powlowski, who plans to run again in 2025, said his own political future rests with Trudeau’s decision.
“I think it’s going to depend on who the leader is,” Powlowski said. “If there’s a new Liberal leader, then I think my chances are pretty good. If the prime minister stays on, it’s going be a lot tougher.”
Powlowski narrowly won Thunder Bay-Rainy River in 2021, edging Conservative Adelina Pecchia by less than 2,000 votes and the NDP’s Yuk-Sem Won by just over 2,300 votes.
