June 18, 2012 - 4:48 PM
OTTAWA - The House of Commons is set to pass the Conservative government's sprawling budget implementation bill following a final evening of debate.
The 400-plus page piece of legislation, dubbed the Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, has been variously described by its detractors as a "Trojan horse" and a "kitchen sink" due to its massive grab-bag of measures.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird says swift passage of the bill is, in his words, "absolutely key and essential to creating a good economic climate."
But opposition MPs say the implementation bill contains dozens of hidden measures that were not part of the 2012 federal budget delivered in March by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty.
And many of the changes have nothing whatsoever to with economic performance, such as shutting down the First Nations Statistical Institute or allowing the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to have temporary members for up to three years.
Despire a marathon 22-hour voting session last week, Green party Leader Elizabeth May says she doubts many MPs know what's in the bill — so she's setting up a quiz Tuesday to test their knowledge.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012