Merasty Attempts To Force Tories’ Hand On Kelowna

Friday, September 29, 2006 at 14:15

 

 

Northern Saskatchewan MP Gary Merasty is forcing a vote in the House of Commons on the Kelowna Accord.

 

Merasty tabled a motion today calling on the Tory government to immediately implement the measures agreed to in the Kelowna deal.

 

Merasty says with a $13.2-billion surplus, there is no reason why Aboriginal people have to live in the conditions they do.

 

He says the Kelowna Accord provided a road map and a consensus for a way forward.

 

The agreement signed by the previous Liberal government committed $5.1 billion in new investments for Aboriginal housing, education, health care, water and economic development, but the Tories have been loathe to implement it.

 

They have argued it was signed at the last moment by a Liberal government desperate for the Aboriginal vote.

 

A motion doesn’t carry the same weight as a bill, but it could put a little more pressure on the Conservatives to act if they lose the vote — which will take place next month.