The CBC reports that, “Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff listed a series of conditions on Monday that he said Prime Minister Stephen Harper must meet to avoid the Liberals toppling the minority Conservative government and triggering a summer election.”
-“He called on Harper to reveal his government’s plan for improving the employment insurance system before the House of Commons votes on budget estimates at the end of the week.”
-“Ignatieff has called for an immediate, temporary change to the EI system that would make people eligible for EI benefits if they’ve worked 360 hours in the previous 52 weeks — regardless of where they live. He said the current system is a hodgepodge of more than 50 different eligibility requirements, depending on local regions and unemployment rates, and that all Canadians who have lost jobs need help now to get through the recession.”
-“Ignatieff also demanded more information about stimulus spending and the ballooning deficit — as well as action on the medical isotope shortage.”
“The earliest opposition parties could defeat the Tories in the House of Commons is Friday…”
If the Harper government were to fall on Friday, the earliest election date would be Monday July 27.
With both the NDP and Bloc Quebecois saying they are prepared to defeat the government, the speculation is the Liberals are looking for ways to avoid a summer election.
The CBC report is at http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/06/15/ignatieff-economic-report-response834.html.
