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RedHot25 · 03-21-2007, 02:31 PM

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

Divisions over the federal budget have claimed their first casualty. Former cabinet minister Joe Comuzzi has been expelled from the Liberal caucus for supporting the Conservative fiscal plan.
Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said Wednesday that parliamentary tradition requires MPs to toe the party line on important confidence votes such as the budget.
"He's not any more part of the caucus,'' Dion said after a caucus meeting.
"A vote on the budget, like a vote on a throne speech, is a vote of confidence. You cannot vote against the caucus on it.''

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Comuzzi, a 73-year-old veteran MP for Thunder Bay, said the budget was important for his riding.
"It's for a single issue that's of absolute critical importance to all the people in Thunder Bay and northwestern Ontario, and that's the cancer research centre ... and hopefully it's going to be funded in this budget," he told CTV Newsnet's Mike Duffy Live on Tuesday.
The centre would bring 300 jobs to the struggling city on the shores of Lake Superior. "To vote against it, every citizen in Thunder Bay would be tremendously upset with me," Comuzzi said.

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Comuzzi will now sit as an Independent. He had already announced that he won't seek re-election.

03-21-2007, 02:31 PM	#1
RedHot25 Franchise Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Probably stuck driving someone somewhere Exp:	Comuzzi expelled from Liberal caucus over budget http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories Divisions over the federal budget have claimed their first casualty. Former cabinet minister Joe Comuzzi has been expelled from the Liberal caucus for supporting the Conservative fiscal plan. Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said Wednesday that parliamentary tradition requires MPs to toe the party line on important confidence votes such as the budget. "He's not any more part of the caucus,'' Dion said after a caucus meeting. "A vote on the budget, like a vote on a throne speech, is a vote of confidence. You cannot vote against the caucus on it.'' .... Comuzzi, a 73-year-old veteran MP for Thunder Bay, said the budget was important for his riding. "It's for a single issue that's of absolute critical importance to all the people in Thunder Bay and northwestern Ontario, and that's the cancer research centre ... and hopefully it's going to be funded in this budget," he told CTV Newsnet's Mike Duffy Live on Tuesday. The centre would bring 300 jobs to the struggling city on the shores of Lake Superior. "To vote against it, every citizen in Thunder Bay would be tremendously upset with me," Comuzzi said. ..... Comuzzi will now sit as an Independent. He had already announced that he won't seek re-election.