UPDATE: Canada Fin Min To Deliver Budget Jan 27
OTTAWA -(Dow Jones)- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority Conservative government, seeking to avoid a potential collapse less than two months after reelection, moved Sunday to announce an early budget that is expected to contain measures to stimulate the economy.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said he will deliver the 2009 budget Jan. 27, the day after lawmakers return from a six-week Christmas break. In an unusual move, he announced the date during an interview on CTV's Question Period program. The date of the budget is usually unveiled at question period in the House of Commons. Budgets are usually presented in February or March.
The early budget announcement comes a day after the government caved in over its controversial plan to eliminate taxpayer subsidies to political parties. That measure was contained in Thursday's economic and fiscal update, which was opposed by all three opposition parties, who decried the lack of fiscal stimulus measures in the document.
The Conservatives need the support of at least one of the opposition parties to pass legislation and survive confidence votes.
The Liberals, the biggest opposition party in Parliament, and the left-leaning New Democratic Party are negotiating behind the scenes to form a coalition government supported by the separatist Bloc Quebecois if the Harper government falls.
That could have come as early as Monday if the first confidence vote over the economic plan had proceeded as scheduled. Harper late Friday sought to buy time by delaying the vote to Dec. 8.
The opposition isn't backing down despite the announcement of an early budget.
"We want to be positive and helpful here. But I didn't hear anything in Mr. Flaherty's statement that backs us off this ledge," Michael Ignatieff, the front-runner to replace Liberal leader Stephane Dion next May, told CTV.
-By Nirmala Menon, Dow Jones Newswires; 613-237-0668; nirmala.menon@dowjones.com
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 30, 2008 12:37 ET (17:37 GMT)
Publié le 30 novembre 2008 Copyright © 2008 Dowjones
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