Bill C-38: Voting continues in Parliament`s omnibus budget marathon
BY JASON FEKETE, POSTMEDIA NEWS JUNE 14, 2012
OTTAWA - Bleary-eyed members of Parliament have launched into their round-the-clock voting on proposed amendments to the government`s 425-page sweeping budget bill, and are expected to be stuck in the House of Commons until the wee hours of Friday morning.
As many as 159 consecutive votes _ which began Thursday around 1 a.m. and are likely to stretch through to early Friday _ are expected on more than 800 proposed opposition amendments to the federal government`s Bill C-38.
By 10 a.m. Thursday, MPs had completed about 60 votes on proposed amendments and had nearly 100 more to go.
New Democrat MPs were slowly rising for each and every vote in what appeared to be a deliberate attempt to slow the voting process, while government MPs were being handed 30-minute breaks every four or five hours to grab some breakfast, brush their teeth and prepare for a long day in the House.
Indeed, MPs were stocking up on coffee, dark chocolate and a healthy supply of political outrage as they headed into a potentially 24-hour marathon session of voting on the federal government`s budget-implementation bill.
The legislation would raise the eligibility age for Old Age Security, reform the employment insurance system, overhaul environmental protection and fisheries laws, and expedite natural resource development approvals, along with hundreds of other proposed changes.
The Conservative government attacked the opposition Wednesday for delaying the budget bill with ``procedural and political theatre'' that threatens Canada`s economic growth.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty stressed that the legislation has received the longest debate in the House of Commons and in committee of any budget implementation bill over the past 20 years, arguing the opposition`s amendments are simply political posturing.
Flaherty acknowledged the bill isn`t perfect, yet the government doesn`t appear willing to consider any of the proposed changes from the NDP, Liberals, Bloc Quebecois and Green party.
``I`m sure there are items in the bill that could be improved and made better. We always do that in government over time,'' the finance minister told reporters.
``The bill is the economic policy of the government; it`s the big plan for the government for the next decade. It`s a generational plan, so it`s not about bits and pieces. It`s about the big picture, that`s why it`s so important that we move forward, particularly given what`s going on in the world.''
Flaherty said the best piece of advice he got for staying awake during what`s set to possibly be 24 hours of consecutive voting is to stock up on dark chocolate.
The Conservatives have a slim majority (164 seats in the 308-seat House of Commons), so they will need to be on their toes for all of the votes.
The budget bill is slated for third reading and final vote in the House of Commons on Monday evening or early Tuesday.
NDP leader Tom Mulcair said his party recognizes people might find the series of votes ``a long and arduous process,'' but it sends a message to the government and highlights to Canadians that changes are needed to the budget bill.
``We`ll be putting a circle around the stain. People will take notice of what the government is doing. It`s arrogance by the Conservatives,'' Mulcair said Wednesday.
Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae said the votes on Bill C-38 reflect ``a sense of revulsion'' from opposition parties that are struggling to find ways to halt what they believe to be faulty legislation.
The government is making sweeping changes to fundamental policies and Canadians institutions ``by means of a subterfuge,'' he said.
``It`s a terrible piece of legislation, and we`re going to fight it every way we can,'' Rae said.
BY JASON FEKETE, POSTMEDIA NEWS JUNE 14, 2012
OTTAWA - Bleary-eyed members of Parliament have launched into their round-the-clock voting on proposed amendments to the government`s 425-page sweeping budget bill, and are expected to be stuck in the House of Commons until the wee hours of Friday morning.
As many as 159 consecutive votes _ which began Thursday around 1 a.m. and are likely to stretch through to early Friday _ are expected on more than 800 proposed opposition amendments to the federal government`s Bill C-38.
By 10 a.m. Thursday, MPs had completed about 60 votes on proposed amendments and had nearly 100 more to go.
New Democrat MPs were slowly rising for each and every vote in what appeared to be a deliberate attempt to slow the voting process, while government MPs were being handed 30-minute breaks every four or five hours to grab some breakfast, brush their teeth and prepare for a long day in the House.
Indeed, MPs were stocking up on coffee, dark chocolate and a healthy supply of political outrage as they headed into a potentially 24-hour marathon session of voting on the federal government`s budget-implementation bill.
The legislation would raise the eligibility age for Old Age Security, reform the employment insurance system, overhaul environmental protection and fisheries laws, and expedite natural resource development approvals, along with hundreds of other proposed changes.
The Conservative government attacked the opposition Wednesday for delaying the budget bill with ``procedural and political theatre'' that threatens Canada`s economic growth.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty stressed that the legislation has received the longest debate in the House of Commons and in committee of any budget implementation bill over the past 20 years, arguing the opposition`s amendments are simply political posturing.
Flaherty acknowledged the bill isn`t perfect, yet the government doesn`t appear willing to consider any of the proposed changes from the NDP, Liberals, Bloc Quebecois and Green party.
``I`m sure there are items in the bill that could be improved and made better. We always do that in government over time,'' the finance minister told reporters.
``The bill is the economic policy of the government; it`s the big plan for the government for the next decade. It`s a generational plan, so it`s not about bits and pieces. It`s about the big picture, that`s why it`s so important that we move forward, particularly given what`s going on in the world.''
Flaherty said the best piece of advice he got for staying awake during what`s set to possibly be 24 hours of consecutive voting is to stock up on dark chocolate.
The Conservatives have a slim majority (164 seats in the 308-seat House of Commons), so they will need to be on their toes for all of the votes.
The budget bill is slated for third reading and final vote in the House of Commons on Monday evening or early Tuesday.
NDP leader Tom Mulcair said his party recognizes people might find the series of votes ``a long and arduous process,'' but it sends a message to the government and highlights to Canadians that changes are needed to the budget bill.
``We`ll be putting a circle around the stain. People will take notice of what the government is doing. It`s arrogance by the Conservatives,'' Mulcair said Wednesday.
Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae said the votes on Bill C-38 reflect ``a sense of revulsion'' from opposition parties that are struggling to find ways to halt what they believe to be faulty legislation.
The government is making sweeping changes to fundamental policies and Canadians institutions ``by means of a subterfuge,'' he said.
``It`s a terrible piece of legislation, and we`re going to fight it every way we can,'' Rae said.
