House compels Liberals to deliver spring budget before summer break

Opposition MPs narrowly passed a motion Monday night forcing the Liberal cabinet to table a spring budget, overriding the government’s attempt to skip the long-standing tradition.All opposition MPs voted in favour of the motion, and all Liberals voted against it — however, four Liberals were absent from the vote, and the motion passed 166-164. The motion amends the Throne Speech delivered by King Charles on May 27 from the senate. The scripted speech omitted any mention of a spring budget or economic statement, which has been parliamentary protocol for decades. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne earlier said his department wouldn’t table a budget this year, but an economic statement would be released in the fall. Prime Minister Mark Carney later said that a budget would be available come fall, but made no mention of a spring budget. .WATCH: Carney Liberals have no intention of releasing budget this year.In the text of the amendment, the Tories wrote, “we urge Your Majesty’s advisors to include a firm commitment to present to Parliament an economic update or budget this spring, before the House adjourns for the summer.”The budget must “incorporate measures aimed at unleashing Canada’s economic potential, including full accountability of Canada’s finances, with respect for the areas of jurisdiction and the institutions of Quebec and the provinces, as well as indigenous peoples,” states the amendment, which was tweaked by the Bloc Québécois ahead of the vote to include the part about the provinces.Conservative MP Michael Barrett announced Monday night after the vote the House had passed “a Conservative motion requiring an accounting of Canada’s finances with Mark Carney having to produce a budget this spring.”.LIVE BLOG: King Charles delivers Throne Speech.“Now, Prime Minister Carney said he wasn't going to produce a budget at all this year, then said he would do it this fall — and then he tabled a bill with a half trillion dollars in spending,” said Barrett in a video posted to X.“Now this is extraordinary. He said he was going to cap increases to government spending at 2%, this is an 8% increase.”“It also sees massive increases to consultants outside of government. I want you to think ‘ArriveScam’ when we talk about consultants.”“So we need accountability. We need to see what's happening with this half-a-trillion dollars. Is this more inflationary spending? And is that why the Carney Liberals don't want it scrutinized by parliamentary committees and by members of Parliament from all parties?”“So this is a big win, and it's important. This is an important test for the new prime minister, because he doesn't have a majority.”.Federal office launched to address contract fraud after ArriveCan fallout

House compels Liberals to deliver spring budget before summer break

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