Liberals get their way because Conservative MPs are late for meeting

Three Conservative MPs were late for work, Thursday, and it may cost them dearly.

As reported by CBC News, the Tories' tardiness for a meeting of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs allowed rookie Liberal MP Sean Casey to push through a study on the impacts of $200 million in proposed cuts to the Department of Veteran Affairs.

"The Conservatives unilaterally set the agenda, putting my motion at the end of the agenda. As soon as the meeting started I was able to get the chairman's attention and presented my motion there and then," Casey told CBC News Thursday.

"Three conservatives were late for the meeting, although we did have a quorum and as a result of a vote among those present, it passed. They weren't very happy."

The Canadian Press reports Veterans Affairs is planning to shave $226 million off its budget over the next two years because, it says, the number of veterans from the Second World War and Korean War is dropping.

The Liberals, however, argue the numbers aren't falling as fast as projected, and the budget cuts will limit services to Canada's 700,000 veterans.

The committee, thanks to Casey's quick thinking, will now assess the impact these cuts will have on programs and services to our veterans and report its findings to the House.

While Casey is savouring his committee victory, he said he is worried the Conservatives on the committee will find some other way to quash his motion or restrict the witness list.