Liberals’ Coronavirus Crisis Relief Bill Turns Into Political Hot Mess
OTTAWA — What was supposed to be a show of unity in unprecedented times became a partisan mess in the House of Commons Tuesday after plans to expeditiously pass the government’s COVID-19 emergency spending bill went awry.
Though Liberals had reason to believe the measures in their $82-billion plan would sail through the Commons with the backing of opposition MPs — just 32 members were called back to Ottawa for an emergency sitting — they instead found themselves accused of making a “power grab” in the thick of a pandemic.
A draft copy of the Liberals’ proposed COVID-19 financial relief legislation was leaked to The Globe and Mail and to Global News Monday. It included a “temporary” provision to give the federal cabinet sweeping powers to tax and spend without parliamentary approval until the end of 2021.
Watch: Scheer says Tories will support aid to Canadians, not Liberal ‘power grab.’ Story continues below video.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said opposition members had arrived in Ottawa “in good faith” — and in smaller numbers “to respect public health concerns.”
“We are here to pass the measures that the government announced last week,” Scheer told reporters in a sparsely populated West Block.
Neither unlimited spending power, nor the long-term removal of parliamentary oversight was part of the suite of COVID-19 financial measures proposed last week, he said. Referencing parliamentary camaraderie shown during the World Wars and other public health crises, Scheer said the opposition is ready to cooperate and be flexible.
“I think this is a period of time where all parties are willing to put aside their partisan differences and focus on helping Canadians and putting them first,” Scheer said. “I don’t think Canadians want to see partisan, partisan disagreements.
“This should be an opportunity for parliamentarians of all parties to come together,” he said.
Instead of inspiring speeches and acts of cooperation...
