No summer election: Layton (1)
Jack Layton says he won’t force a confidence vote in the House of Commons in the final weeks of the current Parliamentary session, but he is prepared to face the electorate should the Liberals choose to bring down the Conservative government.
Layton reiterated Sunday that his goals for the next few weeks include getting an NDP EI reform bill passed and changing the Canada Pension Plan before MPs go to their home ridings for the summer.
“Our intention is to use the remaining weeks to try to get some action on these issues in the House of Commons,” Layton said during an interview on CTV’s Question Period. “We won’t be moving a confidence motion. We’re going to try to move motions that get results for people.”
The NDP has called for a range of CPP reforms, including protection for public sector pensions and more oversight for the investment practices of CPP fund managers.
The party also wants a number of EI reforms, including reducing the number of hours worked to qualify, extending benefits to self-employed workers and eliminating waiting periods.
The party’s EI reform bill will be tabled in the House on June 10.
Layton said rather than try to bring down the government over the issue, he is willing to accept amendments to the legislation from the other parties.
“I don’t think Canadians would want us to (force an election),” Layton said.
“What they would want us to do is get their pensions protected, get the EI system fixed. So that’s exactly what we’ve been doing and we’ll continue to do that. As to what the other parties will do, they will have to make up their own minds. We’re prepared for an election if it comes to it.”
[Source]
Notes:
“And that ends that.”
Come back in the fall for more political brinkmanship.
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