OTTAWA — Conservative MP Shannon Stubbs was unable to participate in a crucial budget vote on Monday due to recent surgery. The vote was significant as it allowed the Mark Carney-led Liberal government to narrowly avoid a snap election. Stubbs announced her absence in a statement on social media, revealing that she was on medical leave following "major jaw and chin surgery" at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton.

In her statement, Stubbs shared details about her medical history, noting that she was born severely premature at 6½ months gestation and weighed only 2 pounds. "Like most neonatal NICU babies, her heart, lungs, and jaw were underdeveloped, and she underwent immediate heart surgery. The jaw issue was identified, but was never surgically corrected," the statement explained.

The budget vote, which was Carney's first as leader, passed with a narrow margin of 170 to 168 in the minority House. Two Conservative MPs and two from the NDP abstained from voting. Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux, who had been rumored to be considering a switch to the Liberals, also abstained as he announced plans to exit politics earlier in November.

While interim NDP Leader Don Davies stated that his party would not support the budget, two NDP MPs, Gord Johns and Lori Idlout, chose to abstain. Their abstentions, combined with last-minute support from the Green Party, helped ensure the budget's passage. If the budget had failed, it could have led to the government's collapse and a potential election.

Stubbs' statement further detailed the impact of her surgery on her ability to vote. She explained that the procedure required strict bed rest and prevented her from speaking, as her jaw was wired shut. Additionally, her altered appearance post-surgery made it impossible for her to use remote voting applications that rely on facial recognition. House rules also prohibit mail-in ballots or proxy votes.

The surgery, originally scheduled for the spring, was postponed due to the election and was rescheduled well before the budget date was announced. Stubbs concluded her statement by emphasizing her opposition to Carney's budget, stating, "Obviously, MP Stubbs strongly opposes Carney’s credit card budget and every part of this government’s top down neo-Marxist anti-development agenda at every step," while noting that her vote would not have changed the outcome of the vote.