Idlout abstains from budget vote, helps Liberals avoid defeat
Carney’s Liberal minority narrowly passes first budget, avoiding a snap election
Green Party MP Elizabeth May stands in the House of Commons Monday to vote for the federal Liberal government’s budget, narrowly clinching a House of Commons win for the governing Liberals. (Photo courtesy Screenshot courtesy ParlVU)
Nunavut MP Lori Idlout was one of four abstentions Monday as most other New Democrats waited until the last minute before opposing the Liberal government’s budget in a crucial vote that could have brought down the government.
The final vote was 170-168.
Nunavut MP Lori Idlout was one of four abstentions during Monday’s vote on the federal Liberal government’s budget, ultimately helping the Liberals pass their first budget. (Screenshot courtesy of ParlVU)
While members of Parliament debated the federal government’s budget throughout the day Monday, there was no indication from the NDP — including Idlout — whether its members would back the Liberal budget or not.
There were 169 members of the Liberal caucus who voted for the budget, including Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty, the first-term member of Parliament for Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou.
The budget delivered Nov. 4 by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne includes funding for the government’s Jordan’s Principle and Inuit Child First Initiative programs for the 2025-26 fiscal year, but did not include funding beyond March 31, 2026.
Gull-Masty said on Nov. 7 both programs, which support Indigenous children and youth, will be retooled and be made permanent.
Interim NDP Leader Don Davies votes against the government’s budget Monday in the House of Commons. According to the House of Commons seating plan, the empty seat behind him belongs to Nunavut MP Lori Idlout, who abstained from Monday’s vote. (Photo courtesy of ParlVU)
Green Party MP Elizabeth May also voted in favour of the budget, bringing the final count to the winning 170 votes.
The opposition Conservatives and Bloc Québécois had affirmed they would oppose the budget, and they did.
Carney’s Liberals were elected just over six months ago, on April 28.
Debate began at noon and was followed by a House of Commons vote at 6:45 p.m.
The NDP, whose members did not divulge how they would vote between the Nov. 4 tabling of the budget and Monday’s vote, would not indicate how they would vote even as the last of four days of debate took place Monday.
“We will all find out later this evening around 6:45 p.m. how they vote,” NDP spokesperson Christine Ackerman said Monday morning.
If the government’s budget had been defeated, it would have been considered to have lost the confidence of the House, which usually leads to an election.
Gotta give Carney some respect, he’s not out there being soft and making deals with the NDP for their votes, he’s putting out his budget that he thinks is the best in the long-term interests of the country (whether you like the budget or not) and forcing the NDP’s hand. They either take it, or they vote against it and force an election that could potentially swing in the Conservatives favour.
What’re you going to do, Lori?
Ugh! Typical!
Lori abstained.
Abstained votes should be considered as no votes. They are abstaining because they don,’t agree, hence, it is a no vote.
Following well documented parliamentary procedure, an abstention vote is an undocumented no vote, and not counted as yah or nay.
Parliamentary procedure should be amended.
An abstention vote is a no vote.
That’s not how this works.
Facts over feelings, pal.
Parliamentary procedure can be amended.
An abstention vote is a disguised no vote.
No votes plus abstention votes means no confidence in budget nor government.
This is another case where there was a big moment for Canada and our elected official was guided by her own personal needs in how she responded to it, and she could not have cared less about her duty to the public.
Ms. Idlout is only interested in padding her pension and staying in parliament for as long as possible. If she voted against the budget and the government fell, she knows she would not win reelection, and would be out with a diminished pension. As a result, she abstained from the vote to keep the status quo and keep her in Ottawa as long as possible to increase her pension.
Her abstaining had nothing to do with me or you or Nunavut or Canada. Instead, it was all about her. Typical. Sad, but typical.
A lot of words for an NDP voted candidate, why are people complaining on here? you voted for her! Plus No one wants another election, you guys would have voted her back in anywise. AND you have NO clue what we as a country are going through, we need this budget, we have very little to count on, this will make a difference in the future. Maybe get you’re Grade 9 so you can understand what’s going on in the real world.
Lori was there but abstained. There is a saying for something like this. The lights are on but no one is home. Typical NDP, Typical Nunavut leadership. Just a sad state.
Her next campaign slogan will be ALWAYS WORKING FOR YOU. (Sarcasm)
Lori’s abstention from voting is unacceptable. Nunavut sent her to Ottawa to be a voice for the North, not to sit out on decisions that shape our cost of living, infrastructure, housing, and essential services. An abstention is not representation, it’s avoidance. The North deserves a strong advocate who will take a stand, not step aside. Lori simply didn’t want to take a position, or trigger an election that she knows flat out she will not win again. This is the same person who thinks #InuitMeTo has gone too far?
This is who represents us???
This is a good budget for us.
I feel uncharacteristically represented.
All of these comments make me sad.
Everyone is preaching from a personal angle and at the same time suggesting that Lori or the Liberals or anyone other than themselves is operating on hidden motives.
Let’s actually think about this. This was finesse. This was a work of art to bring a vote in so close that we teetered on the edge of an Election but did not fall. Did Nunavut want an election? Not that I know or have heard. Okay so good on the main point. Idlout and her party planned, coordinated and delivered.
Did the NDP give the “all clear” carry on flag? No. Their house/interim leader opposed. So we know that they might pull the lever another day. Good. Keep the Liberals on their toes.
Did Idlout make the point that this budget has potential for the North but there is a danger that all this development will be for military and industry and our communities could continue to lag without infrastructure that matters for Nunavummiut? Yes she said and acted in that.
If you naysayers don’t like this solution – please, tell me how you would have voted.
These are partisans who see governance as a zero-sum, winner takes all game.
Their team lost. If Carney proposed a budget with absolutely everything the CPC wanted, the base would rage and call it communism.
The Conservatives were calling it too much liberal spending, the NDP leader called it a Conservative budget.
Like you said, party politics is only ever about “other team bad, our team good”.
well said.
It’s interesting that people are so mad about this. It’s actually a good call on her part. The budget and the current government is probably the best the North and Nunavut could hope for in the long term. If an election was forced, we would likely end up with a Liberal majority – the Con’s keeping pp is just such a ridiculous and damaging decision. And there would be no mitigating factors available down the road, less discussion on bills, less influence for NDP MP’s. And if the unthinkable happened and the Con’s took it? We’d end up with an American Trump style politician running the country.
Is it a budget that will make everyone’s lives easier? No. But honestly, she made the right call bc there was no upside in voting it down.
Well you get what you pay for, or vote for as they say (for you grade 4 students, that is an old slogan). Nunavut has to get with the times, and go out and vote, not just the educated people voting, educate yourself and read about how bad shape the north is in, we have nothing! this brings opportunities North! Quit voting for NDP! What’s wrong with you people anywise for voting NDP? What you thought she was going to make a difference as your MP? LOL NDP is the worst party you can vote for, NDP is a dyeing party that nobody wants. Now just imagine how much MORE Nunavut could have gotten if you voted for Kabloona! Be smarter next time.
Since being an MP for NU, please give one example she did that made NU proud.
Remember folks the NDP is the Jr Liberal Party of Canada, a vote for the NDP is the same a voting to for the Liberals.
There is no difference between Liberal or NDP. The NDP will be supporting the Liberals again just like in the last parliament.
Agree with your comment, however, it is also very very sad.
These comments are BITTER.
I can’t tell if it’s mostly angry partisans wishing that abstention meant no. Or just unsophisticated electors who don’t know how parliaments work. Comes off as sore losing either way.
The budget was ALWAYS going to pass. The only party that a holiday election would benefit is the LPC, and every MP in Ottawa knew it. That’s why two CPC MPs had “technical issues” right up until Idlout abstained. Had she not, they would have.
The budget is a gamble. The numbers will balloon and then the feds will print more money. Much of the money and contracts will go to friends of the ruling party as has been customary with the current government. If it succeeds, great. If it fails, then we all lose and the feds still win because there is no accountability in the federal government. Certainly not from voters.
It had to be done. The liberals were pushing for an election now to avoid a spring/summer election. They know the NDP will have a new leader by then. Who will take the swing voters back to the NDP as they will no longer believe in the TV new liberal hype.
People who haven’t yet seen how broke Canada is will start realizing this Christmas and into the new year that life hasn’t changed from Justin’s ten years. But much worse. With another Liberal prime minister now spending twice as much while food keeps getting more expensive. Unemployment worsens. Rent increases.
Now the Liberals with Greens will own the budget. More people will realize the only one benefiting is the man who was parachuted in from the EU. The one who holds a massive number of stocks in blind trust.
The boos at the Grey Cup, when the PM was shown three different times on the big screen. Is a big tell Canadians are aware Canada is intentionally being broken. And it is.
Thank you, Mass Formation; As you say. The decline in Nunavut society is a clear indicator of the steady and ominous rot within Canadian Society. Ignorant, selfish voters elect ignorant, selfish politicians who enact ignorant, selfish policies and systems.
We need soneobe with a voice. Sinc3 when did we see any change ..yet ? Either party we need a good change and not goof off a trumplike attitude is what our territory needs for positive change a not a ting figure without a voice instead everyone too chicken from nunavut human rights to be a classic politician nowadays only popularity voted into the lgovernment again