Green Party leader Elizabeth May is now publicly acknowledging that her vote for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first budget was a “mistake” — a mistake she says she “will not make again” after what she now calls a “significant betrayal” of Canada’s climate commitments.
May’s comments, first reported by The Canadian Press, mark the most dramatic rupture yet between the Green leader and a Liberal government that she briefly attempted to influence through cooperation rather than confrontation.
“I don’t know if the prime minister lied, but I think he needs to consider what his word means when his word was given.” — Elizabeth May
A Budget Vote Secured by a Promise
In the lead-up to last month’s budget vote, May was deeply hesitant to support the Carney government. Her red line was clear: no federal subsidies for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), a technology that injects captured carbon underground to extract more oil.
Environmentalists widely reject EOR as a climate solution, calling it a direct subsidy for the oil industry disguised as emissions reduction.
Steven Guilbeault — then a cabinet minister and one of May’s oldest climate allies — was dispatched by the Prime Minister’s Office to secure her vote. According to May, Guilbeault arrived with unequivocal assurances from Carney’s senior staff:
- EOR subsidies would not appear in the budget, and
- They would not be added later through regulatory or ministerial changes.
This assurance, delivered personally by Guilbeault, was decisive.
“He assured me — on behalf of the PM — that EOR tax credits would not be in the budget or added afterward.”
The Reversal Came Just Ten Days Later
Ten days after May lent her support and helped pass the budget, Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
That MOU specifically commits the federal government to:
- Extend tax credits for large-scale carbon capture, including the Pathways Alliance
- Provide long-term financial certainty for industry
- Include enhanced oil recovery as an eligible activity for federal subsidies
This was the exact commitment May had been promised would never happen.
The reversal was so severe that Guilbeault — who relayed Carney’s assurances and vouched for them — resigned from cabinet shortly afterward.
“It was a mistake — and it’s not a mistake I will make again.” — Elizabeth May
May Says She Feels Betrayed — and Won’t Trust Carney Again
May is now openly questioning the value of any promise made by the Carney government.
She told The Canadian Press she no longer knows whether the prime minister’s commitments can be trusted, and she expressed deep frustration at how the deal was negotiated.
For May, the core issue is not only the policy reversal but what it represents:
- A broken climate promise,
- A willingness to cut deals with Danielle Smith’s government,
- A prioritization of oil production over international climate law, and
- A signal that Carney’s word carries limited weight.
“He obviously thought getting a deal with Danielle Smith was more important than his word.”
Why She Supported the Budget at All
Despite her sharp criticism, May says she does not regret negotiating one major concession from the government:
A public reaffirmation of Canada’s binding commitments under the Paris Agreement, including:
- Staying as far below 2°C as possible, and
- Meeting Canada’s 2035 emissions target of 40–45% below 2005 levels
May insisted that securing this reaffirmation from Carney was crucial — but she now questions whether such commitments mean anything if the prime minister is prepared to quietly reverse climate decisions behind closed doors.
“If his word does not mean anything, then what does a commitment to the Paris Agreement mean?” — Elizabeth May
What This Means Politically
May’s admission carries serious implications for Parliament, the Greens, and the broader climate movement.
1. A Complete Collapse of Trust
May has effectively declared that she cannot rely on the prime minister’s assurances.
Future confidence votes — including next year’s budget — are unlikely to receive Green support without verifiable, legally binding commitments.
2. Guilbeault’s Resignation Signals Internal Fracture
The former minister clearly believed Carney’s promise on EOR was firm.
His resignation confirms the reversal blindsided even key climate figures within the Liberal caucus.
3. Carney’s Climate Credibility Takes Another Hit
The MOU with Alberta appears to contradict Canada’s climate law, its 2035 target, and its obligations under the Paris Agreement.
May’s public critique undermines Carney’s attempt to present himself as a technocratic climate leader.
4. Greens Gain a Clear Contrast With Liberals
For years, May struggled to differentiate her party from Liberal climate rhetoric.
This betrayal gives her a concrete narrative:
- Carney makes promises to environmentalists
- Carney breaks them to strike oil-friendly deals
This contrast may help the Greens reclaim moral and political space they lost in recent years.
5. The Oil Industry Gains a Massive Victory
The MOU aligns closely with the priorities of:
- Alberta’s government
- The Pathways Alliance
- Fossil fuel lobbyists seeking long-term subsidies for CCS and EOR
May’s criticism underscores the degree to which industry influence continues to override climate science.
Conclusion
Elizabeth May’s admission that she made a “mistake” supporting Mark Carney’s budget is more than a personal regret — it is a political turning point. The Green leader now says she was misled, that a major climate promise was broken, and that she will not place her trust in the prime minister’s assurances again.
With Guilbeault gone, with the Carney–Smith MOU promising new subsidies for oil extraction, and with climate credibility collapsing inside the government, May’s break with the Liberals may be the start of a new, more oppositional phase in her political approach. It may also be a way to deflect the widespread criticism she received for supporting the budget.
