Airdrie–Cochrane MP Blake Richards says there's a chance to work together to get Canada back on track—if the Liberals minority government keeps its promises.
The House of Commons is set to reconvene on May 26 with the election of a Speaker.
On May 27, King Charles will deliver the Speech from the Throne, marking the first time a member of the Royal Family has done so since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1977.
The session follows an election in which, according to Richards, the Liberals presented a “watered-down” version of the Conservative platform.
“If there are things in there that we think are good for the country, we'll support them,” he said. “If there are things that we think won’t be positive moves for our country, we’ll vigorously oppose them.”
“I just hope they will be true to their word and keep the promises that they’ve made,” Richards added. “If so, we can work together to make some improvements.”
With the Liberals holding on to power with a minority government, Richards isn't ruling out the possibility of another election before the end of the mandate.
“We need a Conservative government to get back to the place we need to be,” he said. “But hopefully, in the meantime, we can at least make some advancements. We're really hopeful of the possibility—and if not, we will push the government hard and stand opposed when they're breaking their promises.”
This marks the third consecutive Liberal minority, after the party’s popularity rebounded under new leader Mark Carney.
The Conservatives have criticized Carney for being vague on whether a budget will be tabled before the new session ends this summer.
Richards said he’s baffled by the government’s waffling when it comes to addressing the country’s fiscal checks and balances. At the earliest, he said, it appears a budget might not be tabled until the fall.
“I guess we've gone from ‘the budget will balance itself’ to ‘who needs a budget,’” said Richards. “Now, I don’t know how many businesses or households are able to make their budget three-quarters of the way through the year, but I guess in this case that’s what’s going to happen.”
Such a laissez-faire approach isn’t an option for municipalities or school boards, which are required to finalize their budgets on strict annual deadlines.