Senate committee rejects partial deregulation of Canada Post in budget bill

The Senate’s Standing Committee on National Finance rejected four measures in the federal budget bill, including a clause that would partially deregulate Canada Post (Part 15 of C-9).

The measure relating to Canada Post was rejected in a tie vote of six to six. In the Senate, a question is defeated if there is a tie. Five Liberal Senators and one independent Senator voted “no” when they were asked if the clause deregulating Canada Post should be accepted.

On Monday, July 12th, the full Senate will vote on whether to accept the Senate committee’s report on C-9 as amended.

If the Senate does not adopt the committee’s report, Bill C-9 will go to 3rd reading in the Senate in its unamended form and receive Royal Assent.

However, if the Senate adopts the committee’s report, Bill C-9 will go to 3rd reading as amended. The bill goes back to the House of Commons if the Senate passes Bill C-9 in its amended form. The House would have to reconvene to deal with this issue or wait until September.

Conservative members in the House are likely to reintroduce measures removed in the Senate. This would leave the Liberals in much the same positions as they were in June. The House of Commons passed C-9 on June 8, 2010. The Liberals voted against the budget bill but made sure there were an insufficient number of their members present during the vote.

At this point, it looks like the only way an amended budget bill could pass through the House of Commons is if the Conservatives suddenly change their minds and agree to let it pass. This is not likely to happen.

Alternatively, the Liberals in the House could do the right thing this time (like the Liberal Senators) and vote with the NDP and Bloc to defeat the budget bill if the Conservatives reintroduce postal deregulation and other measures. Of course, this would trigger an election.

One Senator says the Conservatives are ready for an election. We are too. CUPW intends to hold the government accountable if it partially deregulates Canada Post.

Urgent Request for Action

Contact any Conservative Senators in your province. Ask them to oppose partial deregulation of Canada Post. Ask them to do what they can to ensure the budget bill makes it through the Senate as amended on Monday.

The following URL has a list of Senators in your province. Click on each Senator’s name to get contact information.

www.parl.gc.ca/common/senmemb/senate/isenator.asp?Language=E