Parliament resumes Monday for what could be one of the most acrimonious sessions in years with arguably the most important federal budget in nearly two decades.
Thousands of public-sector jobs, billions of dollars in federal spending cuts and the popularity of the Conservative regime are all potentially on the line in a spring session of the House of Commons that will be dominated by the first budget put forward by a majority Tory government and a multibillion dollar operating review.
The government also will look to flex its majority muscles by passing contentious legislation to introduce Senate reform, eliminate the long-gun registry and modernize Canada's outdated copyright laws, among other measures.
Reforms to comparatively lucrative pension plans for parliamentarians and civil servants also could be in the works as the government looks to eliminate a $31-billion deficit by 2015-16. The prime minister went further in a speech in Davos, Switzerland this week, suggesting that even the public pension system could be transformed. Without getting into specifics, he said his government will "be taking measures in the coming months."
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said during his national pre-budget consultation tour this month: "What we are going to have is a budget that takes us on the road to prudent results in the medium and longer term.
Thousands of public-sector jobs, billions of dollars in federal spending cuts and the popularity of the Conservative regime are all potentially on the line in a spring session of the House of Commons that will be dominated by the first budget put forward by a majority Tory government and a multibillion dollar operating review.
The government also will look to flex its majority muscles by passing contentious legislation to introduce Senate reform, eliminate the long-gun registry and modernize Canada's outdated copyright laws, among other measures.
Reforms to comparatively lucrative pension plans for parliamentarians and civil servants also could be in the works as the government looks to eliminate a $31-billion deficit by 2015-16. The prime minister went further in a speech in Davos, Switzerland this week, suggesting that even the public pension system could be transformed. Without getting into specifics, he said his government will "be taking measures in the coming months."
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said during his national pre-budget consultation tour this month: "What we are going to have is a budget that takes us on the road to prudent results in the medium and longer term.