PM’s claim Senate can’t amend budget bills contains ‘some baloney’
OTTAWA — “The issue around budgets, of course, is it’s the House of Commons that votes on budgetary measures, and the Senate is, of course, welcome to look at it and make recommendations. But the legitimacy happens from the House of Commons on this.”
— Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, interview with Global TV’s West Block, broadcast June 18, 2017.
The House of Commons and the Senate sent each other snarky messages last week in a dispute over which chamber of Parliament has the ultimate authority over money bills.
MPs from all parties in the Commons summarily rejected amendments the Senate had made to Bill C-44, legislation to implement the measures in last March’s federal budget, informing the upper house that the amendments “infringe upon the rights and privileges of the House.”