Why You Don't Want An Election

As a public service to Canadians, Canada's National Newspaper is providing a list of legislation that will fail and goodies that will not be handed out if the opposition should be so treacherous as to force an election:

Energy-cost assistance

C-66: An act to authorize payments to provide assistance in relation to energy costs, housing energy consumption and public transit infrastructure, and to make consequential amendments to certain acts.

Would provide cheques of $125 or $250 to 3.1 million households to cover rising energy costs, at a total price tag of $565-million.

Received first reading in the House of Commons.

Whistle-blower protection

C-11: An act to establish a procedure for the disclosure of wrongdoings in the public sector, including the protection of persons who disclose the wrongdoings.

Would allow civil servants to alert the government of wrongdoing in their department without compromising their positions.

Passed by the House of Commons, awaiting Senate passage

Pot decriminalization

C-17: An act to amend the Contraventions Act and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to make consequential amendments to other acts.

The marijuana decriminalization bill would impose fines instead of criminal sentences against people caught with small quantities of the drug.

Received first reading in the House of Commons

Do-not-call list

C-37: An act to amend the Telecommunications Act.

The unsolicited telecommunications bill prevents telemarketers from phoning households on a do-not-call list.

Passed by the House of Commons, awaiting Senate passage

Financial items

Supplementary estimates to be voted on Dec. 8:

A $220-million increase in Old Age Security payments and guaranteed income supplement payments.

A $100-million program to compensate farmers for the mad-cow crisis.

A $6-billion transfer to the provinces to cover health and education costs.

In other words, you won't be able to smoke a joint at home without telemarketers interrupting you.

That's why you don't want an election, whether you want one or not.