The Harper Conservatives are hoping for an election despite their claims to the contrary, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff alleged Thursday.
"The government is crisscrossing the country by spending money with all kinds of promises, useless promises," he told reporters in Ottawa. "We don't want an election, but I think he [Prime Minister Stephen Harper] is the one that wants an election."
Ignatieff was referring to a series of events being held across the country Thursday involving a spate of Conservative MPs. The events revolved around projects from the government's Economic Action Plan.
Speculation continues to swirl as to whether the government will secure the support of one or more of the opposition parties for the upcoming federal budget.
The defeat of the budget, which will be tabled in March, would send Canadians to the polls. The support of one opposition party would see it pass.
Harper repeated earlier this week that he doesn't want an election. The government has said an election will only take place if the opposition parties force one.
'I need to look at this budget'
The parties have been sparring about corporate tax cuts for months. The opposition wants the government to roll back $6 billion in corporate tax cuts, a move the government insists will kill jobs.
"We've said for over a year now... that $6 billion of corporate tax cuts when you are running a $56 billion deficit doesn't make any sense," Ignatieff said Thursday.
But, he said, he doesn't yet know whether the Liberals will vote to defeat the government.
"What I've said all along is I need to look at this budget," he said.
Harper met with NDP Leader Jack Layton to discuss the budget on Friday. The leaders said they had a positive and cordial meeting.
The NDP have asked the Conservatives to take the GST off home heating bills, restore the EcoEnergy Retrofit program and increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors. The party also wants changes to the Canada Pension Plan and a plan to increase access to family doctors.
The absence of a corporate tax cut rollback from that list has led to speculation that the NDP doesn't consider the issue a dealbreaker.
Reprinted with permission from CBC.ca"The government is crisscrossing the country by spending money with all kinds of promises, useless promises," he told reporters in Ottawa. "We don't want an election, but I think he [Prime Minister Stephen Harper] is the one that wants an election."
Ignatieff was referring to a series of events being held across the country Thursday involving a spate of Conservative MPs. The events revolved around projects from the government's Economic Action Plan.
Speculation continues to swirl as to whether the government will secure the support of one or more of the opposition parties for the upcoming federal budget.
The defeat of the budget, which will be tabled in March, would send Canadians to the polls. The support of one opposition party would see it pass.
Harper repeated earlier this week that he doesn't want an election. The government has said an election will only take place if the opposition parties force one.
'I need to look at this budget'
The parties have been sparring about corporate tax cuts for months. The opposition wants the government to roll back $6 billion in corporate tax cuts, a move the government insists will kill jobs.
"We've said for over a year now... that $6 billion of corporate tax cuts when you are running a $56 billion deficit doesn't make any sense," Ignatieff said Thursday.
But, he said, he doesn't yet know whether the Liberals will vote to defeat the government.
"What I've said all along is I need to look at this budget," he said.
Harper met with NDP Leader Jack Layton to discuss the budget on Friday. The leaders said they had a positive and cordial meeting.
The NDP have asked the Conservatives to take the GST off home heating bills, restore the EcoEnergy Retrofit program and increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors. The party also wants changes to the Canada Pension Plan and a plan to increase access to family doctors.
The absence of a corporate tax cut rollback from that list has led to speculation that the NDP doesn't consider the issue a dealbreaker.
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