Harpers Economic Report Card-Igantieff to respond today

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Canadians may know later on today if they will be heading for a Federal Election.  The Leader of the Liberal Party Michael Ignatieff is to announce today whether or not he will support the conservative governments economic report card.

The Liberals supported Harper's budget with the provision that they wanted a review quarterly.  This is the first report card on this event.

The New Democratic Party and the BLOC Quebecois have already stated their intention that they would not support it.

Michael Igantieff the Liberal Party's new leader said he would study it over the weekend.

The Liberal Party caucus will meet at 10 am EST and an announcement is expected at 11 am EST.

The conservative minority government narrowly escaped a confidence vote just before Christmas when the Liberals, NDP and the BLOC threatened to form a coalition.  Mr. Harper persuaded the Governor General to parogue the parliament and lived for another day.

The Liberals have recently pushed slightly ahead in the polls.

Update:  Ignatieff said this was the second economic update.  Liberal Party does not want an election. Why do we get these updates in first place.  He said parliament did not get presented a with a good budget for the economy  and lost the confidence of the House.  The government escaped this by paroguing the Parliament. 

He said the report had serious deficiencies.  One of them was Employment Insurance waiting periods that vary within regions.  He said for months they had asked the government to do something.  It would be a stimulus for the economy.  A number of Premiers agree with the Liberal Party.  He said the Goverment had talked about new changes in the fall.  He said the Government must tell the people now.

The next issue is spending of infrastructure.  He said Canadians want facts and although the money has been authorized no shovels are in the ground.

No clear answer to these questions:

How much money has been spend in the last 120 days and how much will be spend in the next 120 days.

Third Issue. What does the government do to our public finances.  We have to remember that this government took over a 12 Billion surplus and spend us to the brink of a deficit between Oct 14th and the end of the year.  He said Canadians are entitled to know what the governments deficit projections are.

The performance in this report is not good enough and the record of the government is not good enough.

Of urgent concern is the ISOTOP crisis.  If Chalk River can.t supply the ISOTOPs where will they get them? 

What plan is in place to manage this Health Care Crisis

He said he is not seeking an election nor are the people in Canada.  We have to defend the people of Canada and stand up for our principals if the Government lets them down.

He asked the question.  " Does Mr. Harper want Parliament to work?"

To the first question directed at him, Ignatieff answered that he is prepared to vote against the Government by Friday.

Mr. Ignatieff did not give a clear answer.  He said he would vote against the Government if they don't try to make Government work.  If he gets co-operation he will support the government.

He said he is prepared to vote against the estimates on Friday.

In reply to a question on whether he would vote against the Economic Report Card if there was no response from the Government, Ignatieff replied "Yes".

In summary he wants clarification on four points:

1.  Employment Insurance

2  Infrastructure

3. Deficit reduction; and

4. ISOTOPs

Ignatieff now put the ball in Harpers court.  He is willing to extend the current sitting in the House to resolve these issues.