MPs narrowly approved Prime Minister Mark Carney’s initial budget on Monday, preventing an imminent election and granting the Liberals an extended period to lead amidst uncertainty. The vote was a tense affair, with enough Opposition MPs supporting the budget to secure a critical win for Carney in the closely divided minority Parliament. In the final tally, 170 MPs, including all Liberals and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, voted in favor, while 168 MPs opposed it. Notably, four MPs abstained, reducing the necessary votes for the budget’s passage.
Among the abstaining MPs were NDP members Lori Idlout and Gord Johns, along with Conservative representatives Shannon Stubbs and Matt Jeneroux. Interim NDP Leader Don Davies expressed that while the party could not back the budget, they also sought to avoid an election, hence the abstentions.
Jeneroux, who had announced his resignation earlier in the month amid rumors of switching to the Liberal camp, did not participate due to ongoing recovery from significant medical procedures. Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia, now in a non-partisan role, did not vote as no tie required his intervention.
Had the budget been rejected, potentially leading to the government’s resignation and triggering an election, May’s vote in favor provided crucial support to the government. The budget, labeled a “generational investment” by Carney, includes substantial funding for infrastructure, housing, military, and the Major Projects Office. Additionally, tax incentives aim to boost LNG terminals and clean-energy projects to diversify trade avenues beyond the U.S. market.
The budget outlines reductions in the public service workforce, modifications to immigration policies, and progressive initiatives like the national school food program and increased focus on affordable housing. The opposition, particularly the Conservatives led by Pierre Poilievre, vehemently criticized the budget’s $78-billion deficit and inflationary risks.
Poilievre demanded changes to the budget, including scrapping the industrial carbon tax and reducing the deficit, conditions that were not met, leading to the Conservative party’s dissent. Despite Poilievre’s objections, the vote saw the absence of two Conservative MPs, raising questions about the party’s stance.
The Bloc Québécois, with specific demands related to seniors and Quebec, unanimously opposed the budget. The NDP, facing internal challenges and financial constraints, deliberated extensively on whether to trigger an election or prolong the Liberals’ governance. The final decision to support the budget allowed the Liberals to continue their mandate amidst a challenging political landscape.
