Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker yesterday voted against the Liberals' Budget Motion, saying he has no confidence whatsoever in the Liberal government's ability to manage the economy and meet his constituents' needs.

The Budget Motion calls on all Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) to accept that "this House approves in general the budgetary policy of the Government." This means that the vote on the Budget Motion would be therefore an acceptance of the government's overall budget agenda.

"While every‎ budget includes spending on schools, health care and community services, which we support, and while I recognize and support certain investments noted in the document with respect to our seniors in long-term care, hospital funding and respite care, I nevertheless cannot support the budget in its entirety," Walker explained. "This is a budget that "cooks the books" in a misleading attempt to appear fiscally responsible."

Walker added that the so-called "balanced budget" is propped up by one-time windfalls of public asset sales, along with $1.8 billion from cap and trade, and inflated federal infrastructure transfers that disguise a $5-billion operational deficit.

Not surprisingly, all of the Opposition MPPs in the Conservative and NDP caucuses voted against the budget motion on Tuesday. Likewise, all of the Liberal government MPPs supported their budget motion. The government's Budget Motion passed by a vote of 53-39.

In Ontario, the budget motion ‎is also considered to be a motion of confidence in the current government. Had it been voted down, parliamentary tradition would have required the Wynne government to quit, and an early provincial election campaign likely would have followed.

The next provincial election is scheduled for June 7, 2018.

source: media release, MPP Bill Walker