Carney’s budget passes crucial confidence vote, averting December electionPrime Minister Mark Carney’s minority government budget passed a third and crucial confidence vote on Monday evening thanks to the support of the Green Party and multiple abstentions, averting the possibility of a federal election at the end of this year.The LatestMPs voted to approve the Liberal government’s budget.Budget motion passed 170 to 168.Two NDP MPs and two Conservative MPs abstained from voting.Prime Minister Mark Carney said it’s ‘looking good’ as he headed back into the House.Green Party Leader Elizabeth May voted yes.May announced her decision after Carney committed to meeting Paris climate targets during question period.Budget votes are treated like confidence votes, so the government needed a win to avoid another election.Carney’s first budget calls for billions of dollars in new spending to help the economy in the face of the trade war, along with cuts to the public service the government says would save billions of dollars.November 1818 hours agoThat’s all, folksJess ChinAnd so ends a suspenseful budget vote day for the Carney government. If you’re here for a recap of the day, you can sort updates from oldest to newest by clicking the “Latest first” button below the video carousel. As always, you can continue to follow our coverage on CBCNews.ca.18 hours agoIn suspense until the endAaron WherryI’m Aaron, a senior writer with the parliamentary bureau.That was an oddly suspenseful budget vote, even by the traditionally dicey standards of a minority Parliament. Generally speaking, we don’t go into a vote like that without knowing what MPs are going to do.Usually, the budget is presented and the opposition parties quickly stake out their positions — either they’re for, they’re against or they have some demand they wish to put to the government.The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois followed that basic script. The seven New Democrats remained a curious mystery. They didn’t tell anyone how they would vote, but nor did they make any clear demands upon which their support would be conditioned.Meanwhile, the Liberals, perhaps confident about their prospects in an election, seemed in no great rush to negotiate publicly or make entreaties to the NDP. And so, even while an election always seemed unlikely, everyone had to wait until this evening to see where exactly those seven MPs went — and, by extension, whether a new federal election would be triggered.In the end, the New Democrats apparently decided to hold back two votes, seemingly to avoid triggering an election.It makes for an exciting night in Ottawa, but it’s perhaps not the most sustainable way to run a Parliament.18 hours ago Conservatives and NDP both helped prop up CarneyJohn Paul TaskerNDP reacts after party abstentions help pass Carney’s budgetInterim NDP Leader Don Davies, joined by his caucus, spoke to reporters after two New Democrat MPs abstained from voting, which helped Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first budget pass in the House of Commons by a vote of 170-168. What’s interesting about this final tally is that the government ultimately didn’t need NDP MPs to abstain.The budget would have likely passed anyway because of the Conservative absences of Jeneroux and Stubbs.If all seven NDP MPs voted against, the result would have been tied and the Speaker could have voted in the government’s favour.So, in the end, both the NDP and the Conservatives helped to prop up this Liberal government. 18 hours agoWhat happened with the Conservatives?John Paul TaskerA note about that vote — and the two late additions to the “nay” tally.Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer and the party’s caucus chair, Scott Reid, flew in at the last minute, saying they couldn’t vote on the app and wanted to record their “nay” votes in person.That’s a bit unusual. Those votes came as it was apparent that the budget was about to pass with two NDP abstentions and the other two Conservative non-votes. Speaking of those two Conservative abstentions.MP Matt Jeneroux announced earlier this month he was quitting politics after he was also rumoured to be crossing the floor to the Liberals.And a spokesperson for MP Shannon Stubbs said she couldn’t vote due to a medical issue — she is recovering from major jaw and chin surgery.”The procedure corrected a significant medical condition rooted in complications from birth, after years of specialist assessments and medical planning. Her surgical team ordered several weeks of strict bedrest, no speaking and limited movement to ensure a safe recovery,” the spokesperson said.18 hours agoJohns says he heard from community leadersDarren MajorNDP MP Gord Johns said he sat out the vote after speaking to local mayors and Indigenous leaders who “were unanimous” in wanting to avoid an election.“We’re being the adult in the room, listening to our constituents who said right now is not the right time for an election,” Johns told reporters.Lori Idlout, the other NDP MP who abstained, said she did so because of some benefits the budget had for her riding. 18 hours agoDavies says NDP putting ‘interests of our country first’Darren MajorInterim NDP Leader Don Davies is surrounded by members of the NDP caucus following Monday’s vote on the federal budget. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)Interim NDP Leader Don Davies told reporters after the vote that the NDP couldn’t support the budget.But two of his fellow New Democrats abstained from voting, which helped the budget pass.“The consequences of defeating this budget would not be to improve it or to help Canadians. It would be to plunge the country into an election only months after the last one,” Davies told reporters outside the House chamber.“We have decided to put the interests of our country first — to vote against the budget but to help prevent an election.”Davies accused the Liberals of not showing any desire to change the budget to appease his party.18 hours agoCatharine TunneyAnd with that it’s over.The House has largely emptied out — just a handful of MPs remain on both sides. We could hear Liberals continuing to cheer as they exited into the lobby behind their benches in celebration of their narrow win.18 hours agoAbstentions cleared the way for Carney’s budgetJohn Paul TaskerMPs have narrowly voted to pass Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first budget, a decision that staves off a Christmastime election and gives the Liberals more runway to govern in this period of uncertainty.In the end, 170 MPs, all Liberals and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, voted for the budget while 168 MPs voted against.Perhaps most importantly, four MPs abstained according to the preliminary results, which reduced the number of votes the Liberal government needed. Those MPs who didn’t vote on this closely watched motion were: NDP MPs Lori Idlout and Gord Johns and Conservative MPs Shannon Stubbs and Matt Jeneroux.Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia, who was elected as a Liberal but now holds a nonpartisan position, did not have to vote because there was no tie.18 hours agoLiberals erupt in cheers, hugs Catharine TunneyThe Liberals erupted in cheers after the tally came in.Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne gave a back-slapping hug to House leader Steve MacKinnon.Some MPs whipped out their phones — garnering a stern rebuke from the deputy Speaker. (Photos are not allowed!)18 hours agoScheer runs inCatharine TunneyConservative House leader Andrew Scheer’s seat was empty for the roll call. He came running in saying he had technical issues and registered a “no” vote.
Carney’s first budget won a crucial confidence vote, avoiding a Christmas election. Here’s how it went down
