Power & Politics Liberal government narrowly survives final budget vote
Nov 17, 2025
Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada, shares her reasoning for supporting the budget amidst pressing climate commitments. Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham discusses the significance of provincial priorities like offshore development and fisheries during his meeting with the Prime Minister. Columnist Rick Bell analyzes the political strategies behind the budget vote, while Don Davies of the NDP outlines their critical vote strategy ensuring stability over an immediate election.
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Conditional Support For Paris Commitment
- Elizabeth May voted for the budget because she secured a clear commitment to achieve Paris Agreement targets and protect nature and reconciliation goals.
- She framed her yes as conditional and a call to cooperate in a minority parliament, not as full approval of the budget.
Words Aren't Enough Without Policy
- David Cochran and Elizabeth May highlighted that words alone aren't enough when concrete policies like consumer carbon pricing were removed.
- May urged new toolkit development beyond discarded market mechanisms to actually meet emissions targets.
Use Multiple Tools To Meet Climate Targets
- Consider using alternative tools beyond consumer carbon pricing to meet climate targets, including muscular industrial carbon pricing and non-market measures.
- Elizabeth May urged collaborative federal-provincial efforts and fresh policy toolkits to achieve emissions reductions.