Opposition slams Liberals for not tabling budget before summer

Opposition parties are criticizing Prime Minister Mark Carney after his government said it would not table a federal budget before the House of Commons rises this summer.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and interim NDP leader Don Davies both say it's unacceptable that Carney will not produce a fiscal plan any time soon.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said earlier today Ottawa will not table a budget when Parliament returns on May 26, but will instead put forward an economic statement in the fall.

Champagne insists the government's priorities have not changed and that Carney's Liberals are focused on quickly delivering on their marquee election promise — a "middle class" tax cut that will take a point off the lowest income bracket.

That will happen through a ways-and-means motion in the House of Commons that the government expects to pass by July 1.

Davies says Parliament needs to be able to scrutinize the Liberal government's spending plans and Ottawa should not delay federal spending in light of the economic crisis brought about by U.S. tariffs.

Picture Courtrsy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby