The Globe and Mail reports, “Canada’s Official Opposition is using stalling tactics in a bid to force a cross-country tour for the committee reviewing the ‘Fair Elections Act’, a bill Conservatives have been trying to rush through the House of Commons.”
“(Yesterday), New Democrat MP David Christopherson ran out the clock on a committee meeting to prevent the NDP’s motion for the multi-city tour from being defeated by a Conservative majority. …Earlier this week, the NDP blocked all travel funding for every other committee to protest the handling of the bill to push for the tour, which the NDP hopes would put public pressure on the government to change the bill.”
But, “the Conservatives are trying to push the lengthy, complex bill through the House as quickly as possible (and) Democratic Reform Minister Pierre Poilievre, the government’s point-man on the proposed changes to the elections law, …has given little sign the government is open to any amendments on (the) bill…”
“Parliament is on break next week, and the committee meets again Feb. 25.”
Earlier this week, the Council of Canadians and the Canadian Federation of Students organized a day of action against the ‘Fair Elections Act’, which included a presentation on Parliament Hill of 30,000 petitions to the Official Opposition challenging the bill.
For more on why the Council of Canadians opposes this legislation, please click here.
