Local MPs prepare for a long night

Local MPs are prepared for a long night in the House of Commons as they vote on over 800 amendments to the budget bill.

Conservative MP for Kitchener Centre, Stephen Woodworth, says he’ll be looking to his fellow MPs to help him make it through the night. “Everybody works as a team so I hope if I nod off, my teammates will give me a little nudge and I’ll do the same for them,” he says.

Woodworth says the government’s position is that jobs and economic growth should come first and that the budget reflects that. Still, he doesn’t have a problem with the opposition proposing their amendments. “This is really about theatrics,” he says. “But a lot of politics is and I don’t begrudge that to anyone if it’s allowed by the rules.”

Meanwhile, Conservative MP for Cambridge-North Dumfries, Gary Goodyear accuses the opposition of stalling progress. “We are indeed staying here as long as is necessary to make sure that we can prosper in this nation,” Goodyear says. “Unlike the opposition, we do not think that prosperity is a disease.”

Opposition members are calling for more debate and study on the legislation which includes changes to more than 70 laws.

Liberal MP for Guelph Frank Valeriote says the proposed amendments are about gaining the attention of Canadians and taking a stand against the government. “It’s our hope that through the evening…that we may have an opportunity, in fact, to defeat the bill or defeat sections of the bill,” he explains.

Valeriote says there are a number of Conservative back-benchers who are, “furious with the leadership in the Conservative Party and how they’ve approached this omnibus bill.”

He says he’s prepared for the long night ahead by dressing comfortably and bringing lots of work and books to get him through.

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