OTTAWA (CP) - NDP Leader Jack Layton emerged from his first caucus meeting with the party's new MPs today, promising to act as a "balance" to Conservative policy.
Layton said he won't automatically endorse the Tory government's plan to cut the GST, explaining that he wants to see the proposal within the context of the next budget. Prime minister-designate Stephen Harper has promised to cut the GST to six per cent immediately and then to five per cent later - but he'll need opposition party support to do that.
Layton said he and his 28 fellow MPs spent the day discussing how they will position themselves in the next parliamentary session to act as a balance to coming Tory changes.
But he added that they didn't discuss specifics.
He did say he wants to see a debate to clarify Canada's role in Afghanistan "very soon."
Layton's wife, Toronto MP Olivia Chow, said she's confident the party can wrest concessions from the Conservatives, calling the NDP expert arm twisters.
http://start.shaw.ca/start/enCA/News/NationalNewsArticle.htm?src=n013149A.xml
Layton said he won't automatically endorse the Tory government's plan to cut the GST, explaining that he wants to see the proposal within the context of the next budget. Prime minister-designate Stephen Harper has promised to cut the GST to six per cent immediately and then to five per cent later - but he'll need opposition party support to do that.
Layton said he and his 28 fellow MPs spent the day discussing how they will position themselves in the next parliamentary session to act as a balance to coming Tory changes.
But he added that they didn't discuss specifics.
He did say he wants to see a debate to clarify Canada's role in Afghanistan "very soon."
Layton's wife, Toronto MP Olivia Chow, said she's confident the party can wrest concessions from the Conservatives, calling the NDP expert arm twisters.
http://start.shaw.ca/start/enCA/News/NationalNewsArticle.htm?src=n013149A.xml