NDP-backed Conservative motion to expand carbon tax carve-out to all home heating defeated in the House

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's non-binding motion calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to extend the carbon tax pause on home heating oil to all forms of home heating failed to pass Monday.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's non-binding motion calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to extend the carbon tax pause on home heating oil to all forms of home heating failed to pass Monday.

The Bloc Quebecois and Green MPs sided with the Liberal caucus in voting to defeat the Conservative proposal, which had the atypical backing of the NDP.

Ultimately, the motion was defeated 186 to 135. Trudeau cast his "nay" vote virtually. 

While the motion would not have forced the federal government to change its policy, had Poilievre secured the backing of the Bloc, it could have become a political pressure point by allowing the opposition parties to note that the majority of the House wanted the Liberals to act.

However, that wasn't in the cards. As Bloc MPs noted, the motion would have "no impact on Quebec" given the federal carbon tax is not in effect in that province.

That's because this temporary break, as well as the Canada-wide doubling of the rural top-up to the carbon price rebate, only apply to the jurisdictions where the federal carbon tax is in effect: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, the Yukon, and Nunavut.

Speaking ahead of the vote, Bloc Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said his caucus would "not do as the NDP and vote strangely, with the Conservatives."