Carney hasn’t courted opposition parties like some of his predecessors
Carney met with opposition leaders before tabling this budget.
And Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne included some spending commitments and new programs that appeal to Bloc and NDP MPs in particular, including infrastructure projects for certain ridings, a Youth Climate Corps and a hike to CBC/Radio-Canada funding, among other initiatives.
But the government hasn’t bent over backwards to court opposition parties in the weeks leading up to this vote.
As you likely remember, former prime minister Justin Trudeau essentially adopted big chunks of the NDP agenda as his own — including pharmacare and dental care — to secure its support for a multi-year confidence-and-supply agreement.
And in 2005, former prime minister Paul Martin agreed to spend some $4.6 billion on various NDP priorities to secure votes for his budget in that minority Parliament.
There’s none of that with this prime minister. It’s not quite a take or leave it approach — but it’s close. Carney is essentially daring the Opposition to vote against this budget and prompt an election so soon after the last one.
