The government House leader is denying the minority Conservative government is losing its control of the House of Commons.
Speaking to reporters after Wednesday's Tory caucus meeting, Government House Leader Rob Nicholson said despite recent setbacks the government is still "moving ahead" with its agenda.
On Tuesday, the government suffered two blows from opposition parties who may be emboldened by at least one recent poll showing the government losing support.
A Senate committee examining the Federal Accountability Act announced it planned to make a number of amendments to the landmark bill, including one increasing campaign donations to $2,000 from $1,000.
In the House, opposition MPs on the Commons justice committee made substantial amendments to a government bill that aimed at reducing the number of inmates who are eligible for house arrest.
In a minority Parliament, the government is outnumbered by opposition parties on committees.
The two bills touched on two of the Conservative government's five priorities -- ethics and getting tough on crime.
The Conservatives have also suffered other defeats in committee.
On Tuesday, the opposition MPs on the Commons natural resources committee passed a motion calling on the government to reinstate two programs it cancelled earlier this year, including the EnerGuide program. And last week the opposition MPs on the fisheries committee passed a motion to eliminate marine fees for Canada's North.
In addition, the environment and aboriginal affairs committees plan to hold up government business to deal with private members' bills on Kyoto and the Kelowna Accord respectively.
"I'm very disappointed," Nicholson told reporters. "We had all the other parties during the election saying they want to be tough on crime and then they gut the bill on house arrest."
Oh Boo Hoo. What Harper did not realize he had "more power" in opposition.
I think this is great how the opposition parties are introducing bills and how some have passed second reading etc.
Why couldn't Harper try that wheen he was in opposition?
It looks tome the Opposition is doing more than our "new" government.
Of course they're in denial. They've been in denial ever since, in spite of adscam and every possible break during the last election going in their favour, they still, were only given a minority government..
Harper's in the same boat as the Republicans are..
Lame ducks just waiting to be run out of office.
Harper's just pissed his dictator like act doesn't allow him to force all his bs down the throats of Canadians..
Not with the weak minority he holds..
The Liberals and the Conservatives held duelling press conferences on Parliament Hill on Thursday in what appears to be pre-election posturing.
With the opposition parties flexing their muscles in the House, the Senate and in committees, the Liberals and Conservatives have spent the week attacking each other.
The Liberals are accusing Prime Minister Stephen Harper of arrogance and not cooperating with opposition parties and the Tories are saying the Liberals are being obstructionist.
The prime minister weighed in heavily on Thursday and launched his most blistering attack of the Liberals since the House returned this fall.
"The behaviour of the Liberal party is arrogant and anti-democratic and that's really the problem," Harper said during a press conference on Parliament Hill. "They haven't accepted the decision of the electorate."
With the president-elect of Mexico, Felipe Calderon, standing next to him Harper made a point to repeat in both French and English that "Voters said they were sick and tired of the corrupt Liberal government."
Does he ever read the polls? If people liked Harper that much or hated the liberals as much as Harper makes out, surely he would have won a majority last election.
