Vote to force top aide to testify on foreign interference not a confidence matter: PM

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says a motion to compel his chief of staff to testify about foreign interference at a parliamentary committee will not be considered a matter of confidence in the Liberal minority government.

There will be a vote later today on a Conservative motion to get Katie Telford to appear before the House of Commons ethics committee by mid-April.

The Liberals have filibustered another committee for weeks to prevent a similar motion from passing there, so the Conservatives brought a new motion before the entire House of Commons on Monday.

Trudeau says the Conservatives are turning the debate into a “political circus” and the government will not add to that by making the motion a confidence vote, which could have opened the door to an election.