OTTAWA – The NDP learned the hard way Tuesday what the next four years will be like facing a Conservative majority.

Conservative MPs used their clout at on the Commons access to information, privacy and ethics committee to kick start the fall parliamentary session by investigating what they say are Elections Canada violations by the official Opposition.

The NDP deny any wrongdoing and agreed to have the ethics commissioner appear before the committee Thursday to answer Tory claims the NDP improperly used contributions from large labour unions to fund its spring convention in Vancouver.

The chief electoral officer will be called to testify next week on the same issue.

“This should take the precedence of this committee,” Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro said.

NDP MP Charlie Angus said the Conservatives were on “another crusade” and were making a farce out of the committee.

“They are not interested in the larger work of this committee,” he said.

Elections Canada charged four Conservatives this spring with violations under the Elections Act related to the 2006 federal election.

Mark.Dunn@sunmedia.ca

Twitter:MarkDunnSunn