Parliament's return to be delayed until Oct. 16
Updated Tue. Sep. 4 2007 3:58 PM ET CTV.ca News Staff
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Prime Minister Stephen Harper has decided to delay the opening of the fall session of Parliament to October 16, CTV News has learned.
Rather than meet with Parliament on the normally scheduled date of September 17, Harper has decided to delay the date.
The formal announcement will be made later Tuesday, CTV's Mike Duffy reported from Ottawa.
"People at very high levels here in the capital tell me that this has been considered for some time by the prime minister and his most senior ministers," Duffy reported on Newsnet. "They have decided that October 16th is the date to bring Parliament back and more critically, I think, in the overall political scheme of things to bring down the speech from the throne."
The throne speech would, in effect, set the stage for a vote of non-confidence, he added. Parliament would vote on the speech within six working days, and the Conservatives currently have 125 of 308 seats.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe has threatened to topple the government unless there is a clear mandate to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by February 2009.
"There are many people here who believe that the return to Parliament on October 16th is setting the stage for the potential of a fall election, which would come in the month of November," Duffy reported.
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Updated Tue. Sep. 4 2007 3:58 PM ET CTV.ca News Staff
Article Link
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has decided to delay the opening of the fall session of Parliament to October 16, CTV News has learned.
Rather than meet with Parliament on the normally scheduled date of September 17, Harper has decided to delay the date.
The formal announcement will be made later Tuesday, CTV's Mike Duffy reported from Ottawa.
"People at very high levels here in the capital tell me that this has been considered for some time by the prime minister and his most senior ministers," Duffy reported on Newsnet. "They have decided that October 16th is the date to bring Parliament back and more critically, I think, in the overall political scheme of things to bring down the speech from the throne."
The throne speech would, in effect, set the stage for a vote of non-confidence, he added. Parliament would vote on the speech within six working days, and the Conservatives currently have 125 of 308 seats.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe has threatened to topple the government unless there is a clear mandate to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by February 2009.
"There are many people here who believe that the return to Parliament on October 16th is setting the stage for the potential of a fall election, which would come in the month of November," Duffy reported.
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