Layton in Hot Seat as Budget Looms

Within hours, the NDP leader will decide whether to prop up the Conservative government or trigger an election this spring.

It’s high noon on Parliament Hill and Jack Layton has his finger on the trigger. With the Liberals calling for the government’s head over alleged ethics violations, the NDP remains on the fence ahead of the Conservatives’ budget announcement this afternoon. Carefully orchestrated leaks to the media suggest the budget will be laced with concessions to the NDP, including help for low-income seniors and more doctors for rural Canada, which are designed to present Layton with the tough choice between claiming victory on policy objectives or bringing down the government. The Conservatives need the support of one opposition party to survive the budget vote, and the Liberals and Bloc Québécois have all but ruled out lending Stephen Harper a hand.