MP steadfast in support for controversial bill

Photo by AinslIe Cruickshank

The Yukon’s MP says he will vote in support of the omnibus budget bill despite protests calling for him to stand up against it.

In an interview Monday, Ryan Leef provided a number of reasons why he plans to support the bill, a significant one being that the budget is a confidence vote.

If the government were to lose a confidence vote, it would fall.

Leef added that there is no option to vote to split the bill into sections; it’s either for or against.

“It’s not a matter of the government saying, “OK, we had people vote against it so we’re going to take another look at this and we’re going to restructure, we’ll go back to the drawing board and try again.’ No; we’d be thrust immediately into a federal election,” Leef told the Star.

“From that point of view, it’s a very simple choice for me,” he said, adding that he doesn’t want to diminish anyone’s concerns about the budget.

While he ultimately supports the content of the bill and will vote for it for that reason, he said, he doesn’t see an alternative plan either.

“We’ve laid out a great plan,” he said. “The opposition has not presented any kind of credible plan or any kind of credible option as an alternative.

“So we say, ‘Vote against this, throw us into an election,’ and then adopt what? There’s this big question mark left ... right now, we’re the only party with a clear and coherent plan.”

Leef said he’s also heard from a number of constituents who support the budget.

A spokesperson from Leef’s office said today the MP has heard support for the budget from the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce, various industry stakeholders including small and large independent businesses, the Canadian Federation of Municipalities and small business owners.

A second budget protest was held outside Leef’s office on Saturday.

The turnout was slightly smaller than the week before, but the protesters were able to get their message across.

Concerns were raised on a number of aspects of the bill, from the changes to environmental legislation to the “undemocratic” omnibus form the bill has taken.

David Skelton organized the most recent rally and had an opportunity to speak directly with Leef later that afternoon.

Both Skelton and Leef said the meeting went well and that each of them had an opportunity to express their thoughts on the federal budget.

One of Skelton’s main goals for the conversation was to talk about the omnibus form of the bill.

“An omnibus bill is not the kind of legislation to bring in all of these things; it is not democratic and is not in the spirit of the house, it does not respect voters or the opposition,” he said in an interview Monday afternoon.

The budget plans to make changes to more than 70 pieces of legistlation.

While Skelton did not hear what he was hoping to from Leef, he’s not giving up quite yet, and neither are other Yukoners concerned about the budget.

A silent march in protest of the omnibus bill leaving from the Elijah Smith Building was planned for noon today, and another action is planned for tomorrow, with the time and place still to be announced.

In Ottawa, voting on amendments put forward by the opposition parties is expected to begin tomorrow after more debate today.

The Conservatives passed a time allocation motion today to curtail report stage budget debate to 10 more hours of speeches, according to a report by the Ottawa Citizen.

The approximately 1,000 amendments introduced by opposition members have been limited to between 67 and 159 votes by the Speaker of the House of Commons.

The Citizen reported there will be another eight hours of debate after the voting before the bill goes through third reading and then onto the Senate.

The final House of Commons’ vote on the bill is expected to take place next Monday, according to the Globe and Mail.