Canada oppositions threaten to topple government over economic statement
28/11/2008 16:48
Canada's opposition parties said yesterday they will vote against the
Conservative government's fiscal update, sparking speculation the country could
face another election in the midst of a global economic crisis.
All three
opposition parties, the Liberals, New Democratic Party (NDP) and Bloc Quebecois
said they would not support the economic statement introduced by Finance
Minister Jim Flaherty because it contained no stimulus package to spur Canada's
slumping economy and protect Canadian workers during the crisis.
The update
is a confidence vote on Stephen Harper's minority Conservative government and
could be voted on as early as Monday evening.
Liberal leader Stephane Dion
said the parties' decision to reject Flaherty's proposals means it is up to the
prime minister "to look at his options."
"We will vote against this plan,"
Dion told reporters in the parliament.
NDP member Thomas Mulcair also said
his party would "do what was done in the past, stand up to the right-wing agenda
of Stephen Harper."
Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe told reporters that
his party "will categorically oppose" the update.
Should the update be
rejected, the constitution allows another election only weeks after Canadian
returned the Conservatives to power with another minority government.
The
opposition parties could try to form a coalition government or reach agreement
to give the Liberals, who came second in the Oct. 14 election, a chance to
govern.
The parties have also assailed Flaherty's plan to eliminate the
public subsidies all political parties receive, saying the Conservatives were
more interested in playing politics than protecting Canada's threatened
economy.
The Conservatives will be the least affected by the cut as the
percentage of the public funding it received is much less than other
parties.
NDP leader Jack Layton said the Conservatives were trying to "attack
democracy" and protect their financial advantage over other
parties.
Xinhua
|
