The Opposition Liberals aren't fans of the Conservatives' corporate-friendly budget, but they won't topple the government over it.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff issued the familiar refrain Thursday, saying Canadians don't want an election.
Fellow Etobicoke Liberal MPs also bashed the Harper Conservatives' plan.
Etobicoke Centre's Borys Wrzesnewskyj called Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's budget "underwhelming."
"Starting from the whole issue of trust, the budget itself in terms of actual initiatives, involves a lot of rehashing," he said, also taking Flaherty to task for not doing enough for seniors and soldiers returning from Afghanistan.
"I just don't trust Minister Flaherty's numbers - they're always too rosy. A few years back he predicted no deficit, and now, lo and behold, we're at a record deficit. He hasn't put any contingency in place in case the recession double dips."
Etobicoke North MP Kirsty Duncan said both the throne speech and the budget were “without vision.”
“I believe it’s the job of the prime minister to create opportunities for Canadians and to inspire the government to build for a better tomorrow – I don’t see that here,” she said. “Where is the investment in families? There’s no real investment in health care or our aging population. Where is the vision?”
Deep tax breaks for business and future cuts to programs and services used by millions of Canadians reflects that "some very difficult decisions have been made," Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said of the tough-minded document.
Ignatieff charged the Conservatives' plan to kickstart a sputtering economy betrayed a "lack of ambition."
"This budget leaves too many Canadians to fend for themselves, and can't hide the laissez-faire approach of a government that doesn't believe in government," the Etobicoke-Lakeshore MP said in a statement.
Creating an alternative is a work-in-progress for the Liberals.
"...(Our) party is focused on building the better alternative for Canadians," Ignatieff said. "We've made clear proposals on jobs and pensions because we're the party that stands with middle-income Canadians, seniors and families struggling to get by."
Both NDP Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe spoke swiftly against the budget. Duceppe said his party would vote against the budget.