NDP sets up roadblocks to budget bill

[mentalfloss]

NDP sets up roadblocks to budget bill

New Democrat MPs have begun slipping procedural knots over Parliament in a bid to prevent the Harper government from speedily passing its massive budget implementation bill.

The NDP triggered a series of procedural delays Wednesday, just two hours after the government rejected the official Opposition's proposal to split the 400-plus-page bill up into manageable chunks that could be scrutinized more closely.

NDP House leader Nathan Cullen said more obstacles will be rolled in the government's path in the days to come. The legislative roadblocks are aimed at preventing the government from proceeding with a second-reading vote on the omnibus bill planned for Monday.

Cullen said the government has no one to blame but itself after refusing a reasonable offer to split the bill up into five separate bills.

"The government made their bed, now they have to lie in it," he told reporters. "We're trying to put a little water in the wine of the government and say, 'You may have some technical powers here but there are still rights and privileges for MPs and the people we represent and the people we represent want to see a fair hearing of this bill and want the worst parts taken out."'

Government House leader Peter Van Loan insisted the bill needs to be passed speedily in order to "deliver results for the economy."

"We're in an era now of significant global instability and you just look over to Europe to see the problems that happen when you have political indecision and political impasse and Canadians don't want to see that. So we need this bill passed in time."

NDP sets up roadblocks to budget bill - Politics - CBC News

 

[taxslave]

Translation: The NDP is against a strong economy and will do everything possible to water down the budget and prove that Canada is politically unstable and a poor place to invest.

 

[mentalfloss]

Translation: The NDP is against a strong economy and will do everything possible to water down the budget and prove that Canada is politically unstable and a poor place to invest.

I wouldn't make that assumption.

While they're delaying the second reading, it doesn't sacrifice any time for debate on budget issues and it's critical that we have debate - especially on this omni-budget bill.

 

[Locutus]

This whole piece of 'news' is as exciting as...well...

 

[taxslave]

I wouldn't make that assumption.

While they're delaying the second reading, it doesn't sacrifice any time for debate on budget issues and it's critical that we have debate - especially on this omni-budget bill.

That depends on wether one considers the Leaders statements as personal or party position. Mulcair has been quite vocal about being against developing Alberta oil sands and here in BC Dix has come out as against virtually every large economic development project even though most of them will create may jobs for his union supporters.

 

[mentalfloss]

That depends on wether one considers the Leaders statements as personal or party position. Mulcair has been quite vocal about being against developing Alberta oil sands.

Well that's patently false.

He's not against developing the oil sands.

 

[The Old Medic]

The NDP can read, and digest, a 400 page bill without any problem. If they can not, then they have no business being in Parliament.

They are merely trying to be obstructionist, and do everything in their power to sabotage the Government. Then, they will turn around and say, "See how incompetent they really are".

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

This whole piece of 'news' is as exciting as...well...

I find this very exciting. Probably more exciting than the budget bill.

 

[mentalfloss]

The NDP can read, and digest, a 400 page bill without any problem. If they can not, then they have no business being in Parliament.

This is an extraordinarily large bill that needs time to deconstruct. If the NDP were in power and released a budget stuffed with everything they could and Conservatives disagreed with portions of that bill, I think Harper would do everything in his power to break it up so that there was proper debate.

In fact... Harper did do that while he was in a minority government.

Now that he's in a majority, his sense of ethics has changed quite a bit.

 

[captain morgan]

The NDP can read, and digest, a 400 page bill without any problem. If they can not, then they have no business being in Parliament.

They are merely trying to be obstructionist, and do everything in their power to sabotage the Government. Then, they will turn around and say, "See how incompetent they really are".

... And the usual suspects wonder why Harper is putting together an omnibus bill.

The dippers would pull this same horse sh*t regardless if the bills were separate or lumped together. Their goal is to hang things up and be obstructionist rather than act maturely and do what's best in terms of the moving gvt and the nation

 

[mentalfloss]

The dippers would pull this same horse sh*t regardless if the bills were separate or lumped together. Their goal is to hang things up and be obstructionist rather than act maturely and do what's best in terms of the moving gvt and the nation

Limiting debate is acting maturely and in the best terms of moving the nation?

Conservatives pass motion to limit debate on massive budget implementation bill


I don't think you understand how monstrous this bill actually is.

It's not just a budget bill. It also amends 60 laws, eliminates a half dozen others and rewrites the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

There is no bill in parliament that has ever comes close to this in scope and measure.

 

[captain morgan]

Limiting debate is acting maturely and in the best terms of moving the nation?

What do you expect MF?

The dippers are in way over their head on this, all they have left is to beat their chests and rail to the heavens about Harper getting the job done.

Mark my words, you can post all of the polls you want, but we all know that the dips got elected as opposition solely as a protest vote because of Que... Once the Quebecers understand that they succeeded in shooting themselves in the foot, the Dips can expect to lose 30-40% of their seats

 

[petros]

 

[Locutus]

 

[Cabbagesandking]

You are right, MF, in pointing to the monstrosity of this Bill. Not only has nothing like it been seen in Parliament previously, nothing like it has ever been seen in any Parliamentary democracy - though Canada is no longer a democracy.

This adds to the prorogations that also were the first of their kind anywhere. It adds the contempt of Parliament findings. It adds to the use of Ti,e Allocation and closure by Harper: devices that also have never been used with the frequency and purpose of this increasingly Fascist administration.

The NDP and the Liberals should walk out of Parliament and stay out until this Bill has been broken up into its separate components and properly debated and exposed to public oversight.

Perhaps we should start a Petition to the Governor General for the dissolution of this government. A government that is out of control and increasingly only a vehicle for the whims of Stephen Harper.

 

[mentalfloss]

The CPC are well within their legal right to make the budget as big as they want.

It just looks bad on them and will cost them votes - and rightly so. The omnibudget allows the media to jump on all of these issues at once and paints a clear and immediate picture of the government on environmental issues and parliamentary conduct.

If you pay close attention to Alberta, you will see that Redford is actually taking a much smarter approach on the environment that will keep the provincial PCs in power much longer than the Harper crew will be.

 

[lone wolf]

I don't like the antics. Sounds like how the minority government acted ... but I understand breaking the Bill down to chewable pieces. I hate having stuff I don't know rammed down my throat

 

[petros]

I don't like the antics. Sounds like how the minority government acted ... but I understand breaking the Bill down to chewable pieces. I hate having stuff I don't know rammed down my throat

That's why parties hire people to explain it to MPs. Are the Lib economists baffled and need more time to explain it to the party and their MPs?

 

[lone wolf]

To Hell with the party gangs. I want to know what they're sneaking in on me. I'd hear it in a piece by piece description.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I'm not sure what the fuss is. The Conservatives are acting like they have a majority and the opposition is acting like they don't. Time honoured Canadian politics. The bill will eventually pass while each take pot shots at each other trying to score political points.