Yesterday I wondered what these two were up to. The synchronized outrage and the fabrication of the opposition holding up the budget just felt as if it was designed to take attention away from something else, or, head it off at the pass, as it were.Today a couple of things come to light. The review that they committed to come out with seems to fall a bit short. It's not about to cause an election, but it does provide the opposition with some issues vis a vis accountability.
Then we have the ever so helpful Parliamentary Budget Officer. (How long do you think this man will hold on to his job?)
Kevin Page says in a new assessment of the economy that last quarter's 3.4 per cent contraction in gross domestic product doesn't begin to reflect how far Canada's performance has fallen.
He says an even better indicator is gross domestic income, which measures Canadians' purchasing power, and that shows a plunge of 15.3 per cent in the fourth quarter over the previous three months.
...that it is far worse than the 1.5 per cent contraction in the U.S. during the same period.
The article goes on to say that Page's conclusions somewhat undermine what Harper said yesterday. Somewhat? I thought Harper said that Canada was the King of the World!
I suspect there is more bad news to come. Like this for instance. Or this.
I think yesterday was all about obfuscation. Overall though, their antics didn't really win too much praise. In fact, I heard a couple of traditional Harper shills actually mocking yesterday's power point presentation.
7 comments:
Harper/Flaherty are going to try & blame this on the Libs - all the way. Never mind that they didn't have a stimulus plan in Nov., that they prorogued Parliament, rushed to put a budget together out of fear, etc. That's what is also going on. Obfuscation as you said. I can only hope the MSM calls them on this & doesn't let them off anymore.
I find the whole thing unbelievable! This PM and his flunkies are just pathetic and as we slide into oblivion they actually have the gaul to blame others! Could you imagine if they were in opposition now? They would be going crazy saying this was the worst budget in history and blaming the government for everything, even the problems in Iceland! The only blessing is that History itself will usher them out of office because eventually people will blame the government, any government, for a bad economy.
My fear is that Harper will manage to convince Canadians that the Opposition is indeed to blame for his failure to act, and somehow get a majority next time around. Scary. It is down to Iggy to hold the Cons accountable for their mismanagement of this economic crisis.
kirbycairo, while you might be right, I'd prefer to see the government ousted because of who they are.
Anon, that is a risk to be sure. Ignatieff certainly does have to keep their feet to the fire, but in the past two days I've seen him lay out the facts quite clearly and yet the reporting I've seen today still seems to prop up everything Flaherty blurts out.
"... and yet the reporting I've seen today still seems to prop up everything Flaherty blurts out."
Exactly. And that is what the public sees & hears. They are not getting the truth nor the opposition's side, or very little of it.
This is what I don't understand. They all, the media, know the truth & yet prop up the lies. If it goes on like this people will believe that the Libs are holding back the passing of the Budget, will get blamed for the worsening of the recession, & more people losing their jobs, & Harper will eventually get his majority.
I find the whole thing scary.
If Iggy can't find some way to lay the facts clearly before the public, the Liberals are in trouble. He has to take a stand when he issues his probationary report, but not stall the stimulus. How to do this, I have no idea - I hope he does.
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