Champagne promises a ‘generational’ budget opposition parties will see reason to support

On the eve of presenting his first budget, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne suggested the hotly anticipated document will have something for every Canadian — even the opposition parties.

“It’s an investment budget. It’s a generational shift. This is going to be a great moment for the nation,” he told reporters Monday. 

Leaning heavily into the metaphors, Champagne took the pre-budget tradition of buying a new pair of shoes to Boulet Boots, a family-owned business in St.-Tite, Que., where he built his own pair of shoes with help from staff. 

Known for its cowboy boots, the factory also supplies footwear for the RCMP and Canada’s Armed Forces. Champagne walked away with a more classic dress shoe. 

“This has been made in Canada, by Canadians for Canadians and I think it sends a powerful message to the rest of the country and to the world that Canada is a nation of builders,” he said.

Tuesday’s budget will be the government’s first fiscal update in almost a year and the first time Prime Minister Mark Carney has signed off an economic plan for the country since forming government during the spring election. 

In the months since, Canadian industries — including steel, aluminum and the auto sector — have been rocked by the trade war with the United States and the economy has sputtered. 

The stakes are high. Not only is Carney under pressure to right the slumping fiscal picture but he will also face a confidence vote. 

With the hours ticking down, it’s still unclear if the minority government Liberals have drummed up the votes needed to survive a vote and avoid a Christmas election. 

“I think there’s something positive in the budget for all the political parties,” Champagne said in French, when asked about the politically risky situation the party finds itself in. 

Carney says he’d defend budget in an election if necessary

The budget is expected to include more money for defence, affordable housing and relief for workers affected by the U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs while reining in spending that ballooned under the Trudeau government.

“People are looking for change. There won’t be any surprises” he said.

“People will see something in there for them.” 

The Libeals are three votes shy of being able to pass the budget on their own.

In an interview with CBC News on Sunday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre wouldn’t say whether his party will oppose the upcoming legislation. The Opposition leader said he needs to read the document before deciding.

“I don’t have telepathic powers to tell you what’s in it,” Poilievre said on Rosemary Barton Live. 

“If it were to bring down the cost of living — an affordable budget for an affordable living is something that I support.”

The Bloc Québécois, and its 22 votes, has laid out what it calls non-negotiable demands that are likely a non-starter for a government that’s promised to rein in spending.

In exchange for their votes, the Bloc wants to see increased Old Age Security payouts, more generous health transfers to the provinces, interest-free loans for first-time homebuyers and more infrastructure spending for Quebec and elsewhere.

The Quebec sovereigntist party has said there are no plans to abstain.

Historically, the Liberals have turned to the NDP but interim Leader Don Davies said he wants to see where the cuts are in the budget before deciding. 

FULL INTERVIEW | Pierre Poilievre speaks with CBC’s Rosemary Barton ahead of Tuesday’s federal budget

“We have said that we want a budget that invests. Cutting good, family-sustaining jobs that exist in the public service at a time when we want to create jobs doesn’t seem right to us. But we’re going to see where the cuts are,” Davies said.

He did not rule out a scenario in which some of the seven NDP MPs opt to vote neither for nor against the budget. 

“Abstentions are allowed,” he told Barton on Sunday. 

Off camera, sources tell CBC News both the Conservative and NDP caucuses are grappling with whether they want to be part of an effort to trigger an election by voting the budget down. 

One senior party source and two Conservative sources said last week some NDP MPs might abstain.