[LINK] "Opposition leaders reject federal budget"

[rfmcdonald]

The most important element in this news item lies in the fact that the New Democratic Party under Jack Layton--the only opposition party that had indicated it might support the budget, and thus the party that would determine whether the budget (as opposed to the contempt of Parliament charge) would trigger the election--joined the Liberals and Bloc Québécois in rejecting the budget as presented. Since Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said the budget won't be modified, this signals election.

Opposition leaders immediately rejected the Conservative government's budget Tuesday, setting the stage for a possible spring election.

Within minutes of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty tabling his "low-tax plan for jobs and growth" in the House of Commons, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe and NDP Jack Layton all said the budget didn't contain enough to warrant their support.

"We find that the priorities of this government are not the priorities of ordinary Canadians," Ignatieff said. The Liberal leader, who has been demanding a cancellation of corporate tax cuts and didn't get it, cited the lack of support in the budget for affordable housing and child care as other reasons why his party will not vote in favour of the budget.

"This is a government that doesn't seem to be listening to what Canadian families are telling us," he said. "We're forced to reject this budget."

Duceppe's rejection of the budget is based on the budget's silence on his demand for a $2.2-billion deal to compensate Quebec for HST harmonization.

NDP rejection signals government defeat
Tuesday's budget contained a number of measures related to NDP demands, including the renewal of the ecoENERGY Retrofit program and financial support for seniors, but they didn't go far enough, Layton said. The NDP leader said nothing in the budget persuaded him that Prime Minister Stephen Harper is willing to "change his ways" and work with the other parties to introduce measures Layton said would help Canadian families and seniors living in poverty.

"Mr. Harper had an opportunity to address the needs of hard-working, middle class Canadians and families, and he missed that opportunity. He just doesn't get it," said Layton. "New Democrats will not support the budget as presented."

With that declaration, the NDP leader increased the odds of Harper's minority government facing defeat over the budget.