Public service sick leave a ‘political winner’ for Conservatives in election: insiders
The Conservatives are poised to push public service sick leave reform, viewing it as a “political winner” in its message to core constituencies ahead of the election even if it costs them a couple of Ottawa-area seats, insiders say. The Conservative government signalled in its 2015 budget that it would push ahead with reforms to […]
Ministers, PM target Vancouver, Winnipeg, Kitchener in post-budget tour: all about holding seats, say strategists
A federal budget just months ahead of a federal election serves as the most important part of the government’s platform, and looking at where ministers were dispatched last week to sell it is a strong indication of the seats the Conservatives are looking to hold in October, strategists say. “There’s an old saying in politics, […]
Budget features ‘shot across bow’ to public sector unions over sick leave
The Conservative government’s budget contains a “shot across the bow” to public sector unions with $900-million in savings on the sick leave and disability regime while negotiations over the plan are ongoing. The 2015 budget, tabled after months of delay because of low oil prices, estimates $900-million in savings from the disability and sick leave […]
Extended budget period could mean bloated implementation bill
The federal budget to be tabled this week may not look much different than it would have in February but the extra time gave lobbyists a final chance to get initiatives into the “dumpster fire” that is the Conservatives’ last budget implementation bill before the election. “Every month we waited, the budget implementation act probably […]
Conservatives’ focus on balancing books leaves no room for budget goodies
A 2015 balanced budget will be a campaign plank for the Conservatives this fall, but it will leave little room for new announcements, experts say, while some critics say an important opportunity for investment is being wasted. “We’re on a knife edge, as far as whether we’re in surplus or whether we’re in deficit, so […]
House spent $3.5-million on security after Parliament Hill shooting
PARLIAMENT HILL—The House of Commons spent $3.5-million to beef up security following a deadly attack last October by a lone gunman who killed a reserve soldier standing sentry at the National War Memorial before storming Parliament’s Centre Block. The rifle-wielding attacker, 32-year-old Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, breached an RCMP security perimetre on the grounds of Parliament Hill […]
Feds table supplementary estimates, seeking approval for $139.6-million for incremental costs of Iraq, Ukraine missions
PARLIAMENT HILL—The federal government is asking Parliament to approve a total of $139.6-million for the incremental costs so far of Canada’s air strike mission in Iraq and participation in NATO efforts against Russian support for separatists in Ukraine—but its Treasury Board submission to the Commons and Senate did not break down the price tag for […]
Families earning more than $233,000 will gain most from Conservatives’ income splitting plan, says new report
PARLIAMENT HILL—Families with income more than $233,000 a year stand to gain most under the Conservative government’s controversial income-splitting tax break, a new study of the costly program has found. “The richest families are most likely to make at least $1,000 from the new policy,” says the study released Tuesday by the Canadian Centre for […]
Delayed budget could mean child care tax benefit cheques won’t go out in July as scheduled
PARLIAMENT HILL—The government delay of its 2015 budget passage until late April means it might be hard-pressed to ensure legislation implementing billions of dollars in expanded cash payments to families with children will be passed and become law before Parliament adjourns in June. A Commons motion the government tabled last November has allowed the Canada […]
Feds could table budget early April then use two-week recess to avoid questions in House, say opposition MPs
PARLIAMENT HILL—The government decision to delay its 2015 budget until April has set up a perfect storm of key votes in the Commons that could corner the opposition over two vastly different controversies long speculated as potential issues for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to exploit in an election—billions of dollars in family tax breaks and […]
