OTTAWA – Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has narrowly survived a crucial budget vote — one that could have sent Canadians to the polls this winter but instead propped up the minority Liberal government.
Members of Parliament ended weeks of drama and speculation about the Carney government’s fate by voting 170 to 168 on a confidence motion that expressed support for the fall federal budget.
Carney was elected in the spring on a campaign to end U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff war, but only secured a minority government mandate — leaving the Liberals scrambling to secure support for the budget for weeks.
Several opposition MPs did not vote, which enabled the motion to pass in the House of Commons Monday evening.
In a dramatic turn of events just hours before the vote, Carney won Green Party Leader Elizabeth May’s support after the prime minister said he is committed to Canada meeting its Paris Accord climate commitments.
Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont crossed the floor earlier in the month from the Conservative benches to join the government side, securing the Liberals another House vote.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 17, 2025.
Read more on the federal budget at thestar.com
