Bloc Vows to Reject Budget if Quebec Not Compensated for HST

Gilles Duceppe says his party will vote against the next federal budget if it does not include a $2-billion HST payment to Quebec.

The Bloc Québécois leader has drawn a line in the sand. While B.C. and Ontario received billions in compensation for harmonizing their sales tax last year, Quebec got nothing when it introduced the HST in 1992. Duceppe said unless current negotiations to retroactively compensate the province are successful, his party will vote against the next federal budget. Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff has already predicted his party will vote against the budget, but the Conservatives need the support of just one opposition party to push the budget through and avoid being toppled. Although the NDP have made signs they will support the government, if they withdraw that support and the other parties stick to their guns, it would trigger an election.