Fleishman Hillard: The Political View

The Liberals asked about the government’s lack of attention to seniors and poverty in addition to rising EI premiums. The Bloc asked about the budget’s lack of attention to Quebec’s needs. The NDP asked about the government’s lack of attention to jobs and seniors in addition to Justice Iacobucci’s role in reviewing the Afghan detainee documents.

Other Liberal questions included:

• Government’s lack of commitment to foreign aid
• Use of Justice Iacobucci rather than a public enquiry to investigate the Afghan torture allegations
• Attacks on the leadership of Kairos
• Funding for the First Nations University
• Contempt for Atlantic Canadians shown by the Minister of State for the Status of Women
• Exclusion of gay and lesbian rights in the citizenship guide
• Lack of attention to the foreign worker recognition program

Other Bloc questions included

• Government’s lack of attention to those unemployed who do not have access to employment insurance
• Ceiling on transfer payments to Québec
• Lack of infrastructure funding to Québec projects
• Support of the government for petroleum companies rather than workers in need

Other NDP questions included:

• Budget’s focus on banks and big business instead of creating jobs and supporting seniors
• Government’s attention to nuclear and polluting technologies rather than environmentally friendly policy
• Incertitude for FEDNOR funding created by the budget
• Lack of action for the environment in the budget

Government questions included:

• Reaction to the budget
• Implementation of infrastructure funding
• Plans for justice legislation in this session