By The Canadian Press

Aid Package Passes In House

MP’s sign off on bill in pre-dawn vote

Mar 25, 2020 | 5:17 AM

OTTAWA– The bill that will free up $82-billion-dollars in COVID-19 relief measures has passed in the House of Commons and is on its way to the Senate.

M-Ps began debating the bill early this morning after a full day of tense negotiations with the opposition parties.

The Conservatives accused the Liberals of attempting a power grab, and argued against part of the bill that would give the government powers to spend, borrow and change tax levels without Parliament’s approval for the next 21 months.

The Liberal government is hoping for quick passage in the Upper Chamber and to have the measures signed into law by this afternoon.

Among other things, the final bill contains components to boost employment insurance, delay tax deadlines, raise the federal backstop on deposits in case a bank fails and send hundreds of millions to provinces for health care.

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It also gives the federal ministers of health and finance the power to approve spending all money required to do anything to deal with a public health emergency.