Conservative campaign director threatens election over budget bill
Prominent Conservative Senator Doug Finley is warning his Liberal counterparts they could spark an election by failing to pass the Conservative government’s budget bill as-is. Opposition member on the upper chamber’s finance committee stripped four key provisions from the budget bill on Thursday, namely those to allow for the privatization of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., to end Canada Post’s monopoly on international mail, to diminish the scope of federal environmental assessments, as well as retroactive changes to some excise taxes. The Conservatives’ campaign director says the Liberals could find themselves on the hustings if the Senate doesn’t reverse the changes.”We’re ready to go to an election if we have to. The buses, the planes, the trains, the money, the boardroom — everything’s ready to rock and roll,” said Finley. “We’re in good shape for an election.”