Layton Vows He'll Be 'Ready to Campaign'
Mar 5th 2011 – 12:51PM
CBC News
NDP Leader Jack Layton insists both he and his party's fortunes will be healthy enough for a federal election campaign -should one be triggered.Ottawa is abuzz with speculation Canadians could soon be sent to the polls, either by an opposition motion of non-confidence against Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority Conservative government or by all three opposition parties rejecting the upcoming federal budget.
In an exclusive interview with CBC Radio's The House that aired Saturday, Layton answered critics who questioned whether his own health could affect the timing of a spring federal election.
"It would be nice not to have a sore hip, but that's being addressed," joked Layton, who is currently recovering at Toronto's Mount Sinai hospital following a three-hour surgical procedure to repair a small hip fracture on Friday.
"I'll be ready to campaign for sure," declared the NDP leader, who had been battling prostate cancer before his latest ailment.
While the Liberals and Bloc Quebecois have already indicated they will not support Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's upcoming budget, Layton said the NDP is "more ready than we've ever been" for an election but would examine the fiscal plan to see whether it "delivers for Canadians."
Flaherty offering 'thin gruel' to seniors
When asked by host Kathleen Petty whether Flaherty is offering enough for the NDP, Layton said the finance minister is serving up "thin gruel" to Canada's seniors who are worried about their financial security.
"Well, it would be hard to see how a modest and a small measure - that I'm sure they'll try to wrap up into something large - addressing a big problem would do the trick for us or for Canadians."
The NDP's stated wishlist for the Mar. 22 budget includes help for seniors and lifting the GST on home heating bills, as well as changes to the Canada Pension Plan and a plan to increase access to family doctors.
The finance minister hinted he might include items in the budget that will appeal to the opposition parties and he noted that the document is still a work in progress. But Flaherty has ruled out big spending programs and only mentioned senior citizens specifically as a group of Canadians his government might do more to help.
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