Chantal Hébert, "Does federal election showdown loom?" Toronto Star, March 6, 2007.

[Harper's fortunes are declining somewhat. Chantal Hebert thinks if elections were held tomorrow, "Conservatives would be lucky to be returned to power with fewer seats than they now command." -jlt]

OTTAWA—The latest apple of discord between the feuding parties in the House of Commons involves the government's plan to fast-track $3 billion of stimulus spending through Parliament.

The Conservatives are arguing that expeditious means are needed to deal with an extraordinary economic downturn; the opposition parties point out that Harper already has billions of unspent infrastructure dollars from last year's budget at his disposal. They are adamant that they will not cut the government a blank cheque to create what they say could amount to a Conservative slush fund.

Next week, he will put forward a motion in Parliament requiring the government to list the departments and programs on which the $3 billion will be spent.

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