How many Conservatives will stand with Brent Rathgeber?

Brent Rathgeber’s C-461 and his amendments to override the changes made to the bill in committee will be put before the House for votes this evening.

Mr. Rathgeber is attempting to do two things: to remove provisions related to the CBC from the bill and lower the salary-disclosure threshold for civil servants to the salary of an MP ($160,200 at present).

The government (which supported the original bill at second reading) opposes Mr. Rathgeber’s amendments, while the Liberals and New Democrats (which opposed the original bill at second reading) are supporting the amendments,  and so the bill’s fate would thus seem to hinge on how many Conservative backbenchers are willing to back Mr. Rathgeber’s version. Conservative MP John Williamson told the House that he would support Mr. Rathgeber’s amendments, but Mr. Rathgeber probably needs some numbers more than that (depending on total attendance and the votes of the Bloc MPs, Green MPs and independents Maria Mourani and Dean Del Mastro). And if he doesn’t get all of his amendments passed, the New Democrats will not support the final bill at third reading.