Liberals want to limit debate time on post-PKU benefits

Opposition parties sharply criticized the Trudeau government on Monday for wanting to restrict to four and a half hours the study of the bill on “economic stimulus benefits” to follow up on the PCU.

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Liberal House Leader Pablo Rodriguez moved a motion to expedite the passage of this legislation, C-2, without committee study.

“This motion will seek a balance between the urgency to act and the possibility for all the parties to express themselves on the issue. Both are possible through this motion, ”he pleaded in the Commons in the morning.

Conservatives and Bloc Québécois did not mince their words to deplore this limitation on the study time allocated to Bill C-2. The New Democrats have said they will support the Liberal motion “reluctantly”.

The House leader of the Conservatives, Gérard Deltell recalled that his party had proposed to sit on Sunday in order to allow the analysis of the legislative piece in Committee of the Whole.

“Let’s not forget that more than six weeks ago, Justin Trudeau closed Parliament with the sole aim of distracting Canadians from his involvement in the scandal of the charitable organization WE Charity,” added his colleague Luc Berthold , in a statement sent by email.

Reacting during a press briefing in Gatineau, Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet suggested that the Liberals were trying to force the passage of the bill under gag order, after negotiating changes with the New Democratic Party. The two political parties agreed on Friday on a final point of contention between them about a portion of the C-2 allowing paid sick leave to be offered to sick workers.

“If we impose accelerated adoption, it’s a form of gag order,” commented Mr. Blanchet. If we make ourselves an ally in the House and we say ” We will not listen to what others have to say and we will allot time and ‘this will be it’ it is a form of gag otherwise frankly a gag. “

He added that there was a way to proceed quickly without skimping on the analysis stages of the legislation, referring to a period of two weeks. Debate on the motion to limit time for C-2 is scheduled to continue until Tuesday.

The bill provides for the creation of three “economic stimulus benefits” of $ 500 per week for approximately 1.5 million ECP recipients. It is estimated that about three million beneficiaries will pass through employment insurance, to which access has already been extended.

The flagship program of the PCU ended on Sunday and the new aid programs are due to take effect on the same date. A Liberal source said on Friday that the first application period for receiving stimulus benefits retroactive to September 27 will begin on October 12.