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The federal government won approval Tuesday afternoon to quickly start pumping $3 billion into Canada`s sputtering economy after the Liberals dropped an earlier demand for advance details of how the money is to be spent.
The special stimulus fund was included in a spending bill that passed the House of Commons by a vote of 210-82, with NDP and Bloc Quebecois MPs opposed.
It`s intended to get money flowing into the economy as early as April instead of June, when the rest of the $40-billion economic recovery package is to begin to be available.
Earlier this month, the Liberals had signalled they were unwilling to vote for the fund unless the Conservatives specified how the money would be spent.
"We cannot write a blank cheque on $3 billion worth of stimulus," said Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff during question period in the Commons on March 2. "We have to have some indication of what this is going to be spent on."
Tuesday`s vote appears to contradict that assertion, as the Conservatives have yet to release any details.
NDP Leader Jack Layton said the Liberals` support for the fund makes a mockery of Ignatieff`s claim to have put the minority Conservative government on probation.
Release of details `simply cannot be done`
But Ignatieff said the Liberals will ensure the government discloses how the money is spent, albeit after the fact. He pointed to a Liberal motion calling on the government to specify which departments and programs will have access to the $3 billion fund.
That motion passed with the support of NDP and Bloc Quebecois MPs only moments before the vote on the spending bill Tuesday.
The Tories voted against the Liberals` non-binding motion and Treasury Board President Vic Toews made it clear that the government won`t abide by it. The government will provide details as soon as they`re available, but Ottawa is still negotiating with the provinces on how to spend the funds, Toews said.
"My problem is that … because of the other partners involved here, the municipalities and the provinces, that simply cannot be done," Toews said.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said earlier this month that details of how the money will be spent will come before June.
The special stimulus fund was included in a spending bill that passed the House of Commons by a vote of 210-82, with NDP and Bloc Quebecois MPs opposed.
It`s intended to get money flowing into the economy as early as April instead of June, when the rest of the $40-billion economic recovery package is to begin to be available.
Earlier this month, the Liberals had signalled they were unwilling to vote for the fund unless the Conservatives specified how the money would be spent.
"We cannot write a blank cheque on $3 billion worth of stimulus," said Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff during question period in the Commons on March 2. "We have to have some indication of what this is going to be spent on."
Tuesday`s vote appears to contradict that assertion, as the Conservatives have yet to release any details.
NDP Leader Jack Layton said the Liberals` support for the fund makes a mockery of Ignatieff`s claim to have put the minority Conservative government on probation.
Release of details `simply cannot be done`
But Ignatieff said the Liberals will ensure the government discloses how the money is spent, albeit after the fact. He pointed to a Liberal motion calling on the government to specify which departments and programs will have access to the $3 billion fund.
That motion passed with the support of NDP and Bloc Quebecois MPs only moments before the vote on the spending bill Tuesday.
The Tories voted against the Liberals` non-binding motion and Treasury Board President Vic Toews made it clear that the government won`t abide by it. The government will provide details as soon as they`re available, but Ottawa is still negotiating with the provinces on how to spend the funds, Toews said.
"My problem is that … because of the other partners involved here, the municipalities and the provinces, that simply cannot be done," Toews said.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said earlier this month that details of how the money will be spent will come before June.