Canadian PM Mark Carney survives budget vote, dodging snap election threat

On Monday, legislators voted 170–168 in favour of the proposed CAN$141 billion budget, a razor-thin margin that kept the Carney administration in power.

With only two seats shy of a majority, the Liberals required last-minute alliances and abstentions from opposition members to pass the vote.

Green Party leader Elizabeth May decided to back the budget after securing promises of environmental measures from Carney during a Monday meeting.

Meanwhile, two New Democratic Party MPs and two Conservatives abstained, and Conservative MP Chris d’Entremont crossed the floor earlier this month to join the Liberals, helping secure a crucial vote for the government.

“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.

Carney said his spending plan would help shore up the economy as U.S. tariffs intensify.

“Canadians do not want an election right now, while we still face an existential threat from the Trump administration,” Don Davies, the interim New Democratic Party leader, said.

"Today, NDP are choosing stability over political games," Davies stated further.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre criticised it as a “credit card budget” that would balloon the deficit and exacerbate cost-of-living pressures.

(Reporting by Suman Das)