Amendments to the budget can be made but Flaherty has said that no amendments or further concessions will be agreed upon. I believe the Bloc will likely try to table an amendment tomorrow getting their 2.2 Billion HST payment, but nothing will come of it.
I also get the feeling that the NDP really didn't have an option with this budget. They got a sliver here and there from the Cons but it just was not enough. Also, the notion that the NDP could find confidence in the government for the budget vote but then have no confidence on an ethical confidence vote days later opens them up politically to criticism from the Cons. I think the NDP really had no other option here.
I think it was good politicking by the Cons to appear like they were trying to make Parliament work, but in the end they want their government to fall on this budget and go to the polls. I think it was a well crafted budget that served that purpose and will serve it well.
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