Tories ask for House of Commons to sit Sunday to debate new COVID-19 aid legislation

The federal Conservatives say they want the House of Commons to sit this weekend to debate new COVID-19 aid legislation.

Opposition House leader Gerard Deltell says the provisions in the bill demand detailed and urgent scrutiny.

Past COVID-19 legislation has passed fairly swiftly with all-party consent but at the time, Parliament was not sitting as normal.

Now it is, and Deltell is suggesting that putting the new bill through the ordinary legislative paces will take too long.

Among other things, Bill C-2 would create a new benefits regime to support those who have lost jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the existing emergency response benefit is scheduled to end Saturday.

He wouldn’t say whether his party actually agrees or disagrees with those measures, only that Conservative MPs want to ensure they are fully scrutinized to make sure they are best for Canadians.