Joan Bryden
Bloc leader Yves-Francois Blanchet holds a news conference before Question Period, Monday, May 10, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld May 10, 2021 - 3:15 PM
OTTAWA - New Democrats joined forces Monday with the Liberals to cut short initial debate on a bill aimed at ensuring a federal election could be held safely, if need be, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The move means Bill C-19 will be put to a second reading vote Tuesday, allowing it to be referred to a House of Commons committee for greater scrutiny and potential amendments.
It prompted howls of protest from Conservative and Bloc Quebecois MPs, who accused the minority Liberal government of gagging MPs and short-circuiting democracy on a bill meant to protect it.
Legislation aimed at ensuring a federal election could be safely held during the COVID-19 pandemic is stalled in the House of Commons, even as Justin Trudeau s Liberals are fast-approaching the average expiry date for minority governments in Canada.
OTTAWA Legislation aimed at ensuring a federal election could be safely held during the COVID-19 pandemic is stalled in the House of Commons, even as Justin Trudeau s Liberals are fast-approaching the average expiry date for minority governments in Canada. Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc blames the Conservatives for blocking Bill C-19. And he suggests that may be because Conservatives actually want to discourage voters from casting ballots should there be an election this summer or fall. But Conservative House leader Gerard Deltell says the Liberals have only themselves to blame for the fact that C-19 has had only three hours of initial debate in the Commons since its introduction almost five months ago.