Close X
Saturday, November 30, 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

Vaccinations for school based staff in the Surrey School District to begin March 24th

Vaccinations for school based staff in the Surrey School District to begin March 24th
With doses of this vaccine available now, Fraser Health has decided to provide school-based staff in the Surrey School District early access to the vaccine in a phased approach, so immunization clinics are not overwhelmed.

Vaccinations for school based staff in the Surrey School District to begin March 24th

Three Surrey Recreation Centres to Serve as Mass Immunization Clinics for Fraser Health Authority

Three Surrey Recreation Centres to Serve as Mass Immunization Clinics for Fraser Health Authority
Each site will include a drop-off location for immunization appointments, and residents are encouraged to take public transit when possible. Free parking is available.

Three Surrey Recreation Centres to Serve as Mass Immunization Clinics for Fraser Health Authority

682 COVID cases for Tuesday

682 COVID cases for Tuesday
“In addition, the provincial health officer’s order on gatherings and events has been amended today to provide a variance for outdoor worship services”. 

682 COVID cases for Tuesday

Vancouver Police searches for man wanted Canada wide

Vancouver Police searches for man wanted Canada wide
Kenneth Nolan Kirton failed to report back to his halfway house in Vancouver by his curfew in on March 22. Kirton has a history of committing serious, dangerous offences.

Vancouver Police searches for man wanted Canada wide

B.C. prioritizes clinically vulnerable for vaccine

B.C. prioritizes clinically vulnerable for vaccine
The release says the new timeline means that about 200,000 people in B.C. aged 16 years or older who are clinically extremely vulnerable will receive their first dose of vaccine in the coming weeks.

B.C. prioritizes clinically vulnerable for vaccine

Penticton homeless shelter fuels B.C. dispute

Penticton homeless shelter fuels B.C. dispute
Earlier this month, council voted to reject B.C. Housing's application to extend its temporary-use permit beyond March 31 for another year.

Penticton homeless shelter fuels B.C. dispute