Ottawa

No deal

Presumably saddening Young Stephen Harper, Peter Van Loan has announced the government’s intention to proceed as planned with the 452-page budget implementation act, declining to split it up as the NDP had requested.

After taking two questions, Mr. Van Loan took his leave and Nathan Cullen took control of the podium. “This is not a good day for democracy,” he said. Mr. Cullen said the government had been “inconsistent” in negotiations over the past day. He also claimed that the NDP had given commitments to the government that, however the bill would have been split, its ultimate passage would not have been delayed.

The NDP is apparently considering a “number of options” so far as the bill is concerned. Yesterday, New Democrats moved motions calling for studies of the bill at 15 committees. By the end of today, they will have apparently moved another five similar motions.

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