Bloc uses taxpayers money to threaten Conservatives

Bloc leaflet attacks gov't war stance

The leaflet, which was mailed out to thousands of Quebecers last week as a part of the $6-million printing budget funded by taxpayers for members of Parliament, warns that Harper's government may fall within weeks if the prime minister doesn't announce a withdrawal of Canada's troops from the combat zones of Afghanistan by February 2009.

"If Stephen Harper persists with his war mentality, he will not be able to count on the support of the Bloc Quebecois for the Throne Speech," reads the harshly worded leaflet. "We won't hesitate to vote against the government even if this means that such a choice would force the dissolution of the Commons, and a new general election."

But the Conservative government doesn't appear to be scared by the Bloc's new campaign after it snatched a former sovereigntist stronghold and came within a few percentage points of taking another riding in recent federal byelections in Quebec.

Although it propped up the minority government in its first two budgets, Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe said last week that he would no longer do so unless it committed to Canada's Kyoto commitments, eliminated federal spending in provincial jurisdictions, maintained supply management in the agriculture sector and financial aid for the forest industry, along with confirming the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

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