General

Opposition moves to find Tories in contempt of Parliament

Could trigger election call

An election call could be triggered as early as next week, following the announcement by opposition parties that they will find the Harper government in contempt of Parliament and have begun efforts to put the matter to a vote in the Commons. The Liberals, NDP and Bloc Québécois confirmed they will work via a committee they control to produce a report for the Commons
regarding the government’s failure to divulge cost details about its tough-on-crime agenda, corporate tax cuts and plans to purchase stealth fighter jets bills. They say this “constitutes a contempt of Parliament.” The minority Conservatives are attempting to slow the effort, and it’s not clear when the opposition will deliver the report to Parliament. Once they do, though, it clears the path for a vote that officially censures the Harper government. If this comes to pass, it will mark the first time in Canadian history that a government’s been found in contempt of Parliament.

Globe and Mail

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