Carney’s four paths to dodge an election and pass his budget

OTTAWA — Heading into the weekend before a crucial budget vote, it was not clear how Prime Minister Mark Carney’s minority Liberal government would survive a confidence showdown on Monday and prevent a snap election during the upcoming holiday season.

Two sources told the Star on Friday that the government had no assurances how Monday’s confidence vote on this month’s federal budget will go. But the Liberals are still projecting optimism that their minority administration can win the vote and proceed with a $581-billion spending plan that opposition parties have criticized for its big deficits and tens of billions of dollars in spending cuts.

With days to go before the confidence motion, questions remain about the stance of New Democrats, the lone Green MP in the House, and possibly ev