OLDCORN: Carney’s reckless spending budget unites a divided opposition

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first budget has accomplished a near-impossible feat in Ottawa. It has united every opposition party across the political spectrum in an outright rejection. The Conservatives, the Bloc Québécois, the NDP, and the Greens have all declared they will vote against the fiscal plan, branding it as costly, directionless, and profoundly out of touch with the needs of Canadians..McCOURT: Time to emulate King Ralph, Premier Smith!.This rare show of agreement signals that the Liberal minority government’s budget is dead on arrival.It sets the stage for a confidence vote that could topple the government and plunge Canadians into their second federal election in less than a year.The core of the opposition’s rejection is the budget’s shocking disregard for fiscal responsibility. .The Carney government is projecting a deficit of $78.3 billion for this fiscal year. This figure is almost double the $42 billion ceiling the Conservatives had demanded and shatters the prime minister’s own campaign promises of fiscal restraint.Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre slammed the budget as “the most expensive in Canadian history,” accusing Carney of breaking every promise he made just seven months ago. .SLOBODIAN: Are Manitobans too gullible to tell Halloween pranks from deadly home invaders? NDP thinks so.He confirmed his caucus will vote against a plan that adds massive debt without making life more affordable for Canadians struggling with grocery, gas, and housing costs.The Bloc Québécois, often a potential partner for past Liberal governments, has also taken a firm stance. Leader Yves-François Blanchet called the budget a “red Conservative budget” that could have come from former prime minister Stephen Harper, and he declared there is “nothing for Quebecers in there.” .The Bloc had laid out a list of non-negotiable demands, including increased old-age security and higher healthcare transfers, which it says were ignored.The objections go far beyond the price tag. The NDP, while acknowledging some positive points like infrastructure funding, said the budget’s wrong priorities force them to vote no. .HANNAFORD: A quarter-trillion more... Ottawa’s budget of deception.Interim NDP Leader Don Davies highlighted the plan to cut 40,000 public sector jobs as a devastating blow at a time when the country faces a jobs crisis and Canadians already wait months for essential services.For the Green Party, the budget represents a generational betrayal. Co-leader Elizabeth May said the government has jettisoned most climate programs, including the oil and gas cap, while giving more subsidies to fossil fuels. .She noted the budget does not even mention Canada’s Paris climate targets, marking a dramatic retreat from environmental commitments.The united opposition front reveals a prime minister who has failed the basic test of minority governance, which is building consensus. The Liberals hold 169 seats and need at least three additional votes to pass the budget. .OLDCORN: Is Ottawa trying to censor the Bible? Liberals' assault on Christianity continues.Despite meetings with opposition leaders, Carney was unable to coax out any public support.This failure to negotiate stands in stark contrast to the will of the Canadian people. A recent Nanos Research survey found that three-quarters of Canadians want the government to make spending cuts to manage the deficit. .Furthermore, a majority would oppose having another federal election if this budget fails. Carney seems willing to ignore this clear message, having stated he is “prepared to fight an election over the budget if necessary.”Prime Minister Carney, a political novice who entered office on a wave of optimism, has chosen a path of fiscal recklessness. .WENZEL: Mark Carney’s economic reality check — Canada’s unravelling union with the US.His budget sacrifices the long-term economic security of the country for a short-term spending spree. It offers no real plan for affordability, no genuine environmental vision, and no respect for the taxpayers who foot the bill.The opposition parties are right to reject it. When this budget fails its confidence vote, the responsibility for triggering a “Christmas election” will rest solely on the shoulders of a prime minister who chose to stand alone rather than listen to the people he was elected to serve.

OLDCORN: Carney’s reckless spending budget unites a divided opposition

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