So, what will be the next move and by whom? The first vote on the economic statement comes on Monday so you can bet it's going to be a busy three days.It's pretty clear that the opposition parties have no intention of backing down.
Dion - "We cannot support the plan the finance minister presented today. It's a plan to hide the deficit, it's not a plan to get our economy back on track," said Dion.
Duceppe - "This statement clearly goes against the interests of Quebec and we will oppose it."
Layton - “Why doesn't he stand up for Canadians and take some action on their part instead of protecting his friends in the Conservative party?”
The leadership candidates, (Rae and Ignatieff anyway), have also weighed in stating that they will not support the update. (Where was Dominic today anyway?)
So, will Harper back down? Will his arrogance allow him to? After all, it's his arrogance that brought him here. With the information we have so far, my bet is that he will. I think he likes power too much to allow the possibility of it being taken away from him. The question is how will he do it?
The possibility of the opposition forming a government is also seems quite real at this point.
This isn't Harper's first strategic stumble. His first was calling an election in order to gain a majority. How'd that turn out? Refusing to accept the results of that election, he went ahead today and behaved as if he did actually have a majority. How is that turning out?
So what's your bet? What happens next?
13 comments:
Conservative majority. No one will support the opposition's contention that parties should get welfare.
PM Jack Layton? because the Liberals have no leader? Maybe not because NDP and Liberals have a long standing rivalry. PM Gilles Duceppe? I suspect that making a separatist PM is unlikely to fly with many people in Canada, either inside or outside of Quebec. PM Dion? I suspect Iggy and Bob might not approve. PM some miscellaneous liberal? Well least the traditional source of Liberal funding would be restored! A sure and certain foundation for a coalition that would last for a month or until the first cabinet meeting whichever first occurs.
What about PM Ralph Goodale as a compromise competent leader?
JB, Gary,
You guys sound pretty sure of yourselves.
Its too bad you guys have already missed the opportunity to dump Harper as your leader.
And its too bad that the Conservatives have decided to sit on their hands while the recession is coming. That is the real issue here.
Oh, the false bravado. In case you missed it JB, and your stunned MP's leaving Parliament today will serve as my proof, you just got SMOKED today.
What happens next?
The Liberals steal the show with their infighting over kicking Dion out and Iggy becoming an instant Prime Minister (the old white guy from Toronto with the American drawl) by overthrowing the government, elected 45 days ago.
Over at Steve's they are picking a coalition cabinet for Iggy .
I wonder what Rae thinks, he is the one with coalition experience after all.
No answers on what the Bloc's price will be. Can't give Duceppe a cab minister spot,
can't even be seen sitting with a Bloc MP, just need them for votes.
But, back to the real world.
IMO the next move will be the Dippers trying to find a compromise with the Cons.
Need the cover of at least 'trying' to work for Canadians if Jack wants to make the jog to the GGs.
The stimulus package is coming in a few weeks, should be announced before the budget.
Most economists agree that PMSH should wait until US indicates where the auto thing is going.
Oh and Cons likely have their polsters in the field.
And the G20 leaders are wondering
'what? surplus budgets and the opposition want to overthrow Harper? are they nuts?'
JB...stop. Laughing so hard in the morning makes it tough to drink my coffee.
Gary. A formal coalition won't happen.
Aaron. Real issues, in fact reality in general, is not the Conservatives strong suit.
Wilson: The Liberals steal the show with their infighting over kicking Dion out and Iggy becoming an instant Prime Minister (the old white guy from Toronto with the American drawl) by overthrowing the government, elected 45 days ago.
Nah. I don't think there will be infighting and Dion will do what's best for the party. As for instant PM, (as opposed to the current middle aged white guy from Toronto with American (Republican) gall), that's a possibility, but the government isn't being overthrown here. The lies that it told during the last election are merely being exposed and it's being relegated to where it belongs.
As for Jack getting back into bed with Harper, well that would be his death.
No stimulus will come before the House resumes sitting, (per Flaherty)...if anything comes at all.
As for the G20 leaders, they are probably wondering what took Canada so long to see through Harper.
Well I wouldn't mind seeing Dion as PM. You say "no" there wouldn't be a coalition but if there were one I'm sure Dion would shine & the public would see a man with integrity, honesty, & a PLAN.
But I do think you may be right, knb, that Harper will back down.
JB - I'd gladly give another $1.95 of my taxes to get a decent PM. My husband has lost over half of his pension - he's due to retire (last year) and can't. Yup, $1.95 is a pretty cheap donation to bring back democracy.
penlan, it'll be interesting to watch. Flaherty said this morning that he'll not change a thing.
Since his word means zilch, I guess we watch and wait.
Anon, I'm sorry to hear how your family has been affected.
Don't be fooled by the overblown rhetoric that the Conservatives are throwing around.
The public funding that political parties receive is not an 'entitlement' as they would have you believe. It was brought in as democratic reform to get big money out of politics. In fact, I'm hard pressed to think of a democracy that does not have some form of public funding.
Should it be this way? Maybe not and as a Liberal I'd like to see us become more robust in fund raising, but that is for the future.
For the moment, we have what we have and the Flaherty/Harper ploy is nothing but a political tactic that they thought they could get away with.
Not this time boys.
Post a Comment