Carney Government Survives Confidence Vote as Budget Debate Moves Forward:

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s minority government narrowly sidestepped a political crisis on Monday, surviving a nail-biting confidence vote that had threatened to plunge the country into its second federal election in under a year. In a tense and closely watched evening in Ottawa, Members of Parliament voted 170–168 to allow debate on the Liberals’ first federal budget — a razor-thin margin that kept the government afloat and set the stage for months of heated fiscal discussions. The victory, while slim, was significant. It signaled that despite fierce criticism and rising political tensions, Carney’s budget will likely secure enough support to pass. Speaking just after the vote, the prime minister urged lawmakers to look beyond partisan divides. “It’s time to work together to deliver on this plan — to protect our communities, empower Canadians with new opportunities, and build Canada strong,” Carney said on X. He emphasized that his government’s spending blueprint is designed to shield Canada’s economy from the escalating tariff pressures coming from the United States. Since taking office earlier this year, Carney has repeatedly cast the budget as a “generational” chance to strengthen Canada’s economic independence and reduce its heavy reliance on U.S. trade. At the heart of his proposal is a dramatic increase in federal spending — one that would push Canada’s deficit to 78.3 billion Canadian dollars ($55.5 billion). While critics have attacked the number as reckless, Carney insists it’s a necessary shield against U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest wave of protectionist policies. Though much of North American trade still flows tariff-free under existing agreements, American duties on steel, aluminium and automobiles have hammered major Canadian industries. Internal government projections suggest these tariffs — and the uncertainty surrounding them — could shave 1.8 percent off Canada’s GDP, a figure Carney has cited repeatedly as justification for the aggressive budget. The survival of Monday’s vote came down to political calculation rather than wholehearted backing. The Liberals, still a few seats short of a majority in the 343-seat House of Commons, benefitted from the strategic abstentions of several opposition MPs who were unwilling to send the country back into an unwanted election cycle. Polling heading into the vote suggested Canadians were not eager to return to the polls — and that Carney’s Liberals would likely hold onto power if they did. Meanwhile, the Conservative Party continues to wrestle with internal fractures following its recent defeat. Leader Pierre Poilievre faces a formal performance review in the new year and has been vocal in his opposition to the budget, branding it a “credit card budget” that piles debt on future generations. The New Democratic Party has also expressed concerns. Interim leader Don Davies argued that the fiscal plan doesn’t go far enough on unemployment, housing, or the cost-of-living struggles affecting millions of Canadians. Still, Davies acknowledged that triggering an election now — at a time when Canada faces what he called an “existential threat” from U.S. tariffs — would be irresponsible. Two NDP MPs ultimately abstained, helping the government survive. Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne praised Parliament’s decision, saying lawmakers had “put Canada first.” A November Leger poll reflected similar sentiment: only about 20 percent of Canadians wanted an immediate election, while half said they were satisfied with Carney’s leadership.

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