Poilievre threatens to filibuster budget bill if Liberals don't meet demands

OTTAWA -

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is threatening to use procedural tools to delay passage of the federal budget in the House of Commons if the Liberals don't meet his demands.

During a news conference Monday, Poilievre outlined two conditions to avoid potential filibustering by his party.

He called on the federal government to present a plan to balance its budget "in order to bring down inflation and interest rates."

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He also demanded the Liberals cancel any future increases to the carbon price.

"If the government does not meet these demands, we will use all procedural tools at our disposal to block the budget from passing," Poilievre said.

Those tools include amendments and lengthy speeches, he said.

Poilievre's threat comes as MPs gear up for their summer break, with the Commons set to rise June 23.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled the 2023 budget in March after promising to keep spending plans restrained, given inflation is still high.

However, the fiscal projections in the budget show no end in sight for federal deficits despite the fall budget update in November projecting a balanced budget in 2027-28.

Following the release of federal and provincial budgets, Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem said that while government spending was not helping to bring down inflation, it was also not pushing it higher.

Responding, PMJT highlights what Poilievre is blocking by preventing quicker passage of the budget bill, citing tax credits, housing benefits, etc.

"These are real life consequences for the political and partisan games that the leader of the Official Opposition is engaging in."

— Rachel Aiello (@rachaiello) June 5, 2023

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2023.