No Summer Election

A summer election has been averted.
The prime minister says he’s happy his government’s
economic stimulus plan will be passed by Parliament later this week.
Stephen Harper and Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff reached an
agreement today that will see the Liberals support the plan, in
exchange for the creation of a working group to examine possible
changes to employment insurance.
Harper says he’s pleased the Opposition and his minority
Conservatives are working together to reform E-I.
Part of the agreement will also require the Tories to present
another report to Parliament in the fall, detailing progress on the
government’s economic action plan.
Harper has also agreed to support a Liberal motion that would
give Ignatieff an opportunity to force an election in the fall, if
he is unhappy with how the Tories are handling the economy.
The prime minister is also hinting that there could be reductions
in the number of employment insurance regions across the country,
used to calculate eligibility for E-I benefits for the unemployed.
Ignatieff says he didn’t get all he wanted in talks this week
with Harper, but that he hopes the E-I panel will come up with
recommendations he can accept.