Publication Source: Hill Times
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Author: Bea Vongdouangchanh
Calling the federal government’s massive omnibus Budget Implementation Bill “an abuse of power,” the Liberals and Green Party have joined forces and plan to table more than 200 amendments when the bill is returned from the Finance Committee to the Commons Chamber floor at report stage, possibly as early as this week, setting off between 50 to 60 consecutive hours of roll call House voting in which MPs must stay in their seats around the clock or risk losing votes.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May (Saanich-Gulf Islands, B.C.) will be moving the majority of those amendments relating to environmental provisions found in Bill C-38, the Budget Implementation Bill. As she is the only Green MP in the House and her party is not recognized as an official party, Ms. May cannot sit on committees, but is allowed to introduce substantive amendments when bills return to the House at report stage.
Liberal House Leader Marc Garneau (Westmount-Ville Marie, Que.) told The Hill Times last week that it takes approximately one hour to move four roll call votes through the House.