Canadian government moves to thwart a plan by opposition

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government is moving to thwart a plan by Canada's opposition to topple the government by backing down on a law to scrap public subsidies for political parties. The opposition said Saturday the reversal changes nothing and they continue to talk about toppling the government because Harper has no plan to rescue Canada from the global economic crisis. The opposition believes Harper's proposal to end public subsidies to political parties is a partisan move meant to bankrupt them. The opposition relies on the subsidies far more than Harper's Conservatives, who have raised twice as much in donations as the three opposition parties combined. Government Transport Minister John Baird said Saturday they won't go ahead with the contentious proposal. "When it comes to the funding and subsidies that political parties get, we just don't think it's worth getting into an election on that issue," Baird said.