Carney says he'll 'take note' of opposition motion to table a spring economic update

Prime Minister Mark Carney said he will "take note" of the successful opposition motion to add language calling for a spring economic update to the throne speech, but did not say when or how that will happen.

"We take note of last night's motion. But what Canadians deserve … what Canadian provinces deserve is a health care transfer, a transfer for child care, a transfer for dental care and a transfer to support affordability. That's what's in the main estimates and we expect the support of members opposite," Carney said during question period Tuesday.

The government last week tabled main spending estimates worth nearly $487 billion. MPs will be required to vote on the estimates to keep government operations running into the summer.

Conservative and Bloc MPs used their time during question period Tuesday to press the government to table a budget so they know what the government's finances look like before voting on more spending.

Asked about tabling a spring budget or an economic update, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said he's "already talked about that."

Champagne has said that the government is working toward a fall budget.

Speaking before the Liberal cabinet meeting Tuesday morning, government whip Mark Gerretsen insisted nothing went wrong on Monday when opposition parties successfully amended the throne speech to call on the government to table an economic update before Parliament breaks for the summer.

The Liberals were defeated 166 to 164 on that vote. 

Four Liberal Liberal MPs did not vote because of paired abstentions, which happen when parties agree to have a member sit out a vote because someone from another party is not able to attend.

Gerretsen told reporters on his way into a cabinet meeting Tuesday morning that everything went according to plan.

"Every single person who was supposed to vote yesterday voted," he said.

The amendment, tabled by House of Commons Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer, added a passage to the throne speech calling for a spring economic update.

The amendment said that update should include the government's plan to "unleash Canada's economic potential" and explain how it will respect provincial jurisdiction and Indigenous rights.

The amendment includes language inserted by the Bloc Québécois and the NDP, and all three opposition parties voted to support it.

Government House leader Steven MacKinnon said Tuesday the vote that really matters is the confidence motion on adopting the throne speech, set for Wednesday.

"It was a non-binding advisory resolution of the House of Commons. I suspect you're going to see a lot more of them," MacKinnon said.

"I think the note said 'urge' and we'll take note of having been urged." 

The minority Liberal government has 169 MPs, including House Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia — who does not vote, except in the event of a tie.

That leaves the Liberals four votes shy of a majority, meaning they have to work with other parties to pass legislation and survive confidence motions.

The NDP, which had a supply-and-confidence agreement with the previous Liberal government, has said it will not enter a formal arrangement to support Prime Minister Carney's government. The NDP was reduced to seven MPs in the recent election but could still hold the balance of power.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said his party's 144 MPs will not "reflexively oppose" the government and will support measures that improve the status quo.

But the Conservatives also have been highly critical of the government's plan to delay introducing a budget — traditionally released in the spring — until this fall.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick