What another Liberal minority government means for the public service
Article content
The results saw the Liberals win 169 seats, just three shy of a majority, and have left several questions about what's in store for the public service as the governing party will have to negotiate with others to get things done.
Article content
Lori Turnbull, a political science professor at Dalhousie University, told the Ottawa Citizen that the 45th Parliament 'is shaping up to be all kinds of precarious.'
Article content
Article content
Turnbull said she doesn't foresee another supply and confidence agreement between the Liberals and the NDP. Meanwhile, the national vote was split almost evenly between the Liberals and Conservatives with other parties collectively winning just 15 per cent of the vote. It's why Turnbull said the coming political cycle could be turbulent.
Article content
The Liberals have promised a spending review and a cap on the size of the public service. But observers say the political reality that has emerged after the election may affect Prime Minister Mark Carney's plans for the federal government's workforce.
Article content
The Liberal platform said the party was 'committed to capping, not cutting, public service employment,' but didn't offer any further details on what 'capping' would mean. Liberal campaign officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly on the plan, have told the Ottawa Citizen that those details will emerge from the forthcoming spending review.
Article content
Such a spending review is not uncommon. In fact, it's expected for any new government, especially one focused on fiscal prudence. In his election campaign, Carney promised to balance the operating budget over three years, a timeline that may not be possible in a minority government.
Article content
Article content
Turnbull said a substantial program review, like those seen under prime ministers Stephen Harper, Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin, requires many years and political runway, both of which could be limited for Carney. So Turnbull said she doesn't expect significant cuts or reform soon given the precarious nature of the new government.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edmonton Journal
an hour ago
- Edmonton Journal
Carson Jerema: I want Canada to become a part of Alberta
Article content EDMONTON — Alberta is the best province in Canada. Despite relentless efforts by the federal government to kill the oil and gas industry, the province remains the wealthiest (per capita) in the country. The fact that energy companies earn growing, often record profits is not, as Liberal boosters claim, evidence that Ottawa is not targeting Alberta. It is, instead, evidence that markets find a way, and a reminder of how much more wealthy all of Canada would be if the federal government just ended its onslaught. Article content Article content Instead of Alberta separating from Canada, a better solution would be for Canada to join Alberta. By this I don't necessarily mean moving the capital from Ottawa to Edmonton, and I don't necessarily mean I want Alberta to annex the rest of the country, but Canada should become more like Alberta. Article content Albertans pay zero provincial sales tax, enjoy the lowest income and corporate taxes in the country, as well as among the lowest regulatory burden in Canada. Markets find a way in the province because, by and large, government gets (relatively) out of the way and regular people get to keep more of the money they earn. Having lived in Manitoba and southern Ontario before moving to Edmonton in 2013, there is a noticeable culture of individualism here. Even in the somewhat socialist-friendly city I live in. Article content It is an attitude that is more open to business, to hard work, and more skeptical of government solutions and infringements on personal liberty, or unnecessary intrusions into the family. Central Canadians may look at Premier Danielle Smith as a kooky extremist. People here are more likely see her as the sensible moderate. Yes, there's liberal and left-wing opposition in this province not only to the government, but to the culture and ethics that make this place great. But unlike elsewhere in Canada, they do not hold the de facto 'correct' position in the province. Article content Apart from a few spasms during the pandemic, Albertans are generally more tolerant of other opinions. Even the NDP is (nominally) pro-oil. So instead of leaving Canada, or trying to convince the rest of the country to leave us alone, Albertans need to do a better job of convincing other Canadians that our way is the superior way. Article content
Calgary Herald
3 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Get ready Alberta — snap election tempting for Premier Smith
Article content Danielle Smith must be tempted. What better time to call a snap election than after Prime Minister Mark Carney leaves Alberta standing at the altar, clutching a bouquet of empty promises? Article content Sure, the current rules say the provincial election date is set, but that can change in a heartbeat if you have a majority government, like Smith's UCP. Article content Article content The timeline for such a call would suggest mid-September. Already, some in Smith's cabinet are warning Carney has until then to provide tangible proof his Liberal government isn't blowing smoke about fast-tracking major projects and making Canada an energy superpower. Article content Article content Article content You can't expect a pipeline company to construct a line to B.C.'s northern coast to ship Alberta crude to Asia if there's a federal ban on tankers being allowed to dock. It insults our intelligence. You wonder if Ottawa would be happier if Alberta did pick up sticks and go it alone. Oh well, you eventually reap what you sow. Today, waxing lyrical about supercharging the economy provides a nice sound bite. It helped get Carney elected, after all. But unless it's followed by appropriate action, then our prime minister's expertly-honed 'Captain Canada' persona will eventually crumble, replaced by a new moniker: 'Doctor Do-little.' Article content Article content Smith probably figured this out a while ago. Still, for now, it plays well to play along. Show you're on board with the whole Team Canada approach and give Carney enough political rope to hang himself, here in Alberta. Not that he ever had much support, but Smith has to be wary of appearing too gung-ho in jettisoning those nebulous federal overtures with that separation vote looming. Article content There's a fine line for the premier between standing up for Alberta and giving outright backing for a push to leave Canada. The first is a winning electoral strategy; the second could spell the demise of Smith's political career. Heck, even before the public got to vote on separation, the not-really-so-united Conservative party would probably split apart if the premier publicly urged a yes vote. Article content A snap fall election dodges that bullet. Or at least delays it. Smith can ask for a strong mandate to make one final push to convince Ottawa that our province needs support and respect.
National Observer
6 hours ago
- National Observer
Federal retrofit loan program is set to dry up by year's end unless Carney steps in
Pressure is on the federal government to refill dwindling coffers — that could run dry this year — of its loan program to help Canadians improve energy efficiency in their homes. The Canada Greener Homes Loan program was launched in 2022 and initially earmarked with $2.6 billion in funds for interest free loans, spurring significant demand for improvements like heat pumps. In recognition of the high demand, last year Ottawa kicked in an additional $600 million. But according to an access-to-information request supplied to Canada's National Observer, that latest top-up will soon be exhausted, too. As of mid-June, $155 million had been dispersed from the top-up fund and the government estimates about 3,500 loans are being issued each month. The average loan is about $25,000, suggesting that nearly $90 million is being loaned every month. At that pace, funding could dry up by the end of the year. 'The disruption of a program like this is very hurtful and very unproductive,' said Brendan Haley, policy director with Efficiency Canada and adjunct research professor at Carleton University. 'It kills businesses, because businesses have a whole plan around this loan even being available.' In a letter sent to Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Gregor Robertson last week, Efficiency Canada and 80 other organizations and businesses urged the government to provide more funding for the program in the upcoming federal budget due this fall. The groups are also calling for a four-year extension to the program, with an additional $4.3 billion set aside for loans. The call comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney's government plans steep budget cuts across departments, but Haley says funding the loan program aligns with Carney's priorities. Because they are loans and not grants, the value of the program is booked as an asset on government balance sheets. The Liberal election platform promised to fund home retrofits and lower utility bills by making it easier for households to switch to heat pumps and other energy efficient upgrades. The platform said eligible costs could include insulation upgrades, window replacements and heat pump installations. Pressure is on the federal government to refill dwindling coffers — that could run dry this year — of its loan program to help Canadians improve energy efficiency in their homes. Carney may have had a reputation for knowing the climate change file well before becoming prime minister, but his early days saw the repeal of the consumer carbon price and the rushing through Parliament of his major projects legislation, which would let megaprojects sidestep environmental rules. He's also under tremendous pressure from the Conservatives and auto industry to repeal the electric vehicles sales mandate and strike a grand bargain with the fossil fuel sector that could see production increase. All eyes are on the fall budget to see how his stated climate priorities hold. 'The continuation of this Greener Homes Loan program is certainly going to be a good test case,' Haley said. 'There were quite clear promises made in both the Liberal platform and Mark Carney's leadership campaign that are extremely consistent with continuing this specific loan program and improving it.' Renée Proctor, press secretary for Robertson, said the minister welcomes feedback and has seen the letter from Efficiency Canada. 'At this point in time, we're not going to speculate on policy or funding decisions given that the process for Budget 2025 is underway,' she said. The Greener Homes Loan program is part of a government retrofitting initiative that previously also included grants. However, the grant portion was abruptly cancelled last year citing 'higher-than-expected uptake.' 'The speed at which Canadians are applying and getting approved for Greener Homes Grants has also been significantly faster than NRCan's initial expectations and has skyrocketed since the fall,' the department said in February 2024, citing $5.1 million grants issued each day. A report from Green Communities Canada found that for Canada to reach its net-zero target, close to 500,000 retrofits are needed each year. Drew Tozer, a partner with Foundry Heat Pumps, a heat pump installation company in the Greater Toronto Area, said if the loan program is disrupted, it would be part of a boom-and-bust cycle for efficiency programs that does more than short-term damage. 'Contractors who made the strongest commitment to participate in the program get hurt the most when it ends,' he said. 'Short-cycling through programs erodes the trust and willingness of contractors to participate in future programs. 'That matters, because the rate at which [we] electrify homes largely depends on the level of buy-in or resistance from contractors.' According to Efficiency Canada, there are two main drawbacks with the existing loan program that should be addressed to maximize impact. First, up-front costs for retrofits are high and homeowners need to pay for the upgrades up front unless the contractor is willing to take on the risk of completing the work while waiting for the loan to be issued. 'The typical reason to take out a loan is to eliminate up-front costs,' the advocacy group says. 'The current system acts more like an incentive paid back, rather than a loan that enables people unable to pay full costs to afford retrofits.' Second, most home heating and cooling systems are replaced after an unexpected breakdown, such as a furnace going out in the dead of winter. So, applying for a government loan, waiting for it to be processed and then hiring a contractor isn't realistic for many people in those emergency situations. Fast access to financing is critical, Efficiency Canada says.
