Close X
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
ADVT 
National

Liberals survive budget confidence vote

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 27 Apr, 2021 12:49 AM
  • Liberals survive budget confidence vote

With the help of the NDP, Justin Trudeau's minority Liberal government has survived the last of three confidence votes on its massive budget.

The House of Commons approved Monday the government's general budgetary policy by a vote of 178-157.

Liberals were joined by New Democrat MPs in voting for the budget, in accordance with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh's vow not to trigger an election in the midst of a deadly third wave of COVID-19.

Conservative, Bloc Quebecois and Green MPs voted against the budget.

Votes on the budget are considered confidence matters; had all opposition parties voted against it, the government would have fallen, plunging the country into an election.

The government survived two other confidence votes on the budget last week, on Conservative and Bloc Quebecois amendments to the budget motion.

The budget, introduced last week, commits just over $100 billion in new spending to stimulate the economic recovery, on top of an unprecedented, pandemic-induced deficit of $354 billion in the 2020-21 fiscal year.

The government must eventually introduce a budget implementation bill, which will also be a matter of confidence.

Prime Minister Trudeau last week insisted the big-spending budget is not a launching pad for an election. He would not rule out an election this year, noting that he leads a minority government and saying it will be "up to Parliament to decide when the election is."

While that sounded like Trudeau doesn't intend to pull the plug himself on his government, it didn't preclude the possibility that the Liberals could try to orchestrate their defeat at the hands of opposition parties. Nor did it preclude the possibility that Trudeau could at some point claim that a dysfunctional minority Parliament requires him to seek a majority mandate.

Some Liberal insiders believe Trudeau may pull the plug this summer, provided that the pandemic is relatively under control and vaccines are rolling out smoothly.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Virtual service to mark Humboldt crash anniversary

Virtual service to mark Humboldt crash anniversary
The mayor has deemed today "2017-18 Humboldt Broncos Day" and would like to see that continued every April 6.

Virtual service to mark Humboldt crash anniversary

One arrested and two outstanding following a truck into a building in an attempt commercial break and enter.

One arrested and two outstanding following a truck into a building in an attempt commercial break and enter.
Officers from West Vancouver, North Vancouver and Vancouver Police Departments quickly set up containment in the area, and requested assistance from both VPD and RCMP K9 units.

One arrested and two outstanding following a truck into a building in an attempt commercial break and enter.

23 new deaths over 4 days

23 new deaths over 4 days
Since we last reported, we have had 579 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 986 new cases in the Fraser Health region. 

23 new deaths over 4 days

Vancouver Police investigate that city's 4th homicide

Vancouver Police investigate that city's 4th homicide
Police were flagged over in the unit block of West Hastings Street for reports of a man possibly suffering from a drug overdose just after 10 p.m. on April 4

Vancouver Police investigate that city's 4th homicide

A man's body pulled out of a Surrey home fire

A man's body pulled out of a Surrey home fire
Firefighters say crews were called from both Surrey and Delta to the area of 96 Avenue and 117 Street. 

A man's body pulled out of a Surrey home fire

Two Vancouver restaurants get business license suspended for breaking COVID19 rules

Two Vancouver restaurants get business license suspended for breaking COVID19 rules
Both the restaurants did not comply with the tougher restrictions announced by the Province and Dr. Bonnie Henry last week.

Two Vancouver restaurants get business license suspended for breaking COVID19 rules