Keddy defends Conservative budget vote

South Shore-St. Margarets MP Gerald Keddy is defending his decision to vote with last week’s Conservative budget, a budget that broke a landmark oil and gas deal with the province.

The Atlantic Accord was signed on Feb. 14, 2005 by the previous Liberal government and gave Nova Scotia, as well as Newfoundland and Labrador, the right to offshore oil and gas royalties, protected from any future equalization arrangements.

In a bold move, Tory Bill Casey voted against the budget last week and was subsequently booted from the Conservative caucus.

“I certainly respect Bill Casey's decision. I am going to work within my party, the government of Canada, to find a solution. I'm not giving up,” said Keddy in a prepared statement.

“The single item of the Atlantic Accord is one that I do not feel the door is closed on yet. Indeed, if I had joined Bill Casey and voted in non-confidence against my own government, I would have locked myself out of the discussion and I am not prepared to do that at this stage.”

Keddy continued to say that discussions between the federal government and the government of Nova Scotia were ongoing and will continue after the vote.

The local MP also pointed out that there many things in the budget worth voting for.

Not everyone agreed.

South Shore St. Margarets Liberal candidate Bill Smith blasted Keddy for his decision, and lauded Casey for his stand.

“Gerald Keddy has betrayed the people who elected him and thereby failed to do the job he was sent to Ottawa to do. He was faced with a choice between standing up for the needs of his constituents or his party membership. He chose the latter and sold out the people of the riding he is supposed to represent,” said Smith. “If Bill Casey can have the courage to stand up against a budget that is clearly wrong for this province, why can’t Gerald Keddy do the same?