Coalition R.I.P.
The Liberal Party of Canada under Michael Ignatieff voted today to support the federal budget, which means both that the Liberals have (for the time being) parted ways with the other opposition parties and abandoned the coalition that forced Stephen Harper to prorogue Parliament in December, and that the Conservative Party of Canada is (thankfully) still the governing party in Canada.
Interestingly, Ignatieff has said that the government is now “on probation,” and that he will be expecting “frequent progress reports” to ensure that the Tories keep their budget promises:
Ignatieff, speaking in Ottawa, said Liberal support will require that the Tories issue reports to Parliament on the budget’s implementation and its cost in March, June and December.
“Each of these reports will be an opportunity to withdraw our confidence should the government fail Canadians,” Ignatieff said.
Ignatieff called Tuesday’s budget a “flawed” document because, among other things, it fails to extend EI eligibility, attaches strings to infrastructure dollars that may delay projects and jobs, and lacks a credible plan to get out of the deficit situation.
However, he also said the budget includes important concessions such as affordable housing, skills development and measures to make credit available to businesses.
While it strikes me as rather odd that the opposition would be so open about its intent to basically hold the government hostage, such a situation does work under the Westminster system. Not that I expect that Harper will, in the coming months, give Ignatieff anything much to fret about now that he can get back to the business of running the country.
I imagine that Jack Layton is probably quite disappointed today. That thought makes me smile.
Steynian 317 « Free Canuckistan! (January 28, 2009, 5:41 pm).
[...] Canada under Michael Ignatieff voted today to support the federal budget, which means both that the Liberals have (for the time being) parted ways with the other opposition parties and abandoned the coalition that forced” …. [...]
Steynian 317 (January 28, 2009, 6:12 pm).
[...] Canada under Michael Ignatieff voted today to support the federal budget, which means both that the Liberals have (for the time being) parted ways with the other opposition parties and abandoned the coalition that forced” …. [...]