MPs set for marathon vote in the Commons over budget bill

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OTTAWA, ON (NEWS1130) – Members of Parliament are gearing up for a possible voting marathon as they take on 800 proposed amendments on the Conservatives’ controversial omnibus budget bill.

It was expected that MPs would start voting on amendments for Bill C-38 this afternoon, but the vote was delayed until approximately 11 p.m. ET.

Once voting begins it will be non-stop until all of the amendments are presented for a vote.

The amendments, as stated by NDP House Leader Nathan Cullen, are designed to challenge the government’s massive budget bill that he points out will change up to 70 Canadian laws in one swoop.

Among the 70 laws the bill amends are those relating to environmental assessments, Old Age Security and Employment Insurance. While the Opposition argued that such a broad-ranging bill demands more study, the Conservatives said enough time has already been spent.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the bill has received a record amount of debate and the government wants it passed to create jobs and spur the economy.

At over 400 pages, the controversial budget bill amends some 70 pieces of legislation on everything from environmental assessment to the regulation of charities.

The Opposition had introduced more than 1,000 amendments to the bill, but on Monday, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Andrew Scheer, gave the green light to nearly 850 amendments.

However, Scheer grouped many of the amendments together for voting and since some would cancel out others, there could be between 67 and 159 votes altogether.

Many amendments seek to outright delete elements of the bill that the Opposition feels require more scrutiny, such as major changes to environmental assessment, employment insurance and old age security.

“We are firmly committed to getting this bill through and we will have it passed before we rise for the summer,” said Tory House Leader Peter Van Loan.

Van Loan also accused the Opposition of playing political games and delaying laws needed to stimulate the economy.

“This is an important measure for job creation and economic growth at a time when the global economy continues to be fragile,” he said.

The New Democrats said they’re doing their job standing up against a government running roughshod over the democratic process.

Cullen said this all could have been avoided if the government agreed to split up the bill so they could deal with things like environmental laws and old age security separately.

“We could have actually been studying the impacts of the bill and letting Canadians know exactly what was about to happen to them and to our country,” said Cullen.

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said the long process is necessary because the opposition cannot just rubber-stamp government policy

“If Mr. Harper wants to have bills that pass quickly he should not, illegitimately, put 70 pieces of legislation in one bill,” May said.

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