Nobody Panic: Harper’s Not Going Anywhere
November 28, 2008 · By Adam Dyck
If you’re watching the news lately, you’ve probably heard about this new “coalition government” cooked up by Chretien and Broadbent. The Liberals, NDP and Bloc are going to unite under one banner (Let’s call it the People’s Freedom Party for Democracy and Freedom), thus saving Canada as we know it.
The PFPDF is never going to happen, and I’ll tell you why. First (and most glaringly obvious), the Bloc is never going to sign onto something like that. They’ll do exactly what they’ve done in the past, which is reviewing legislation on a case-by-case basis, which is not enough to convince the GG that the PFPDF is viable.
Second, and only slightly less damning, is the fact that anyone who claims to be able to unite the Jack! guys, the Rae guys, and the Ignatieff guys around Stephane Dion (who doesn’t even HAVE guys anymore) is either fooling you, or fooling themselves.
And finally, Harper is just so smart to lose to the PFPDF. Of all the politicians in Canada today, he is undeniably best at the game of politics.
So can all of us pundits please just calm down? Our government is not collapsing.
I’ll start with a declaration of bias; not my government
While I agree with you that Harper has many things going for him I think it’s his own that he is “so smart” that has lead the Conservatives to this situation in the first place. I’m not going to debate it on here ad nauseum . . . no in fact I’m not going to debate it at all you’re free to disagree BUT in my opinion this entire situation was totally avoidable but instead of concentrating on specifics he tried to slide something through in this budget proposal (elimination of Elections Act vote support $) not thinking it would go unnoticed but thinking his opponents would not have the stones to fight it and that ‘if’ they did he could quash it immediately with a few blithe remarks about greedy politicians or some such and it would disappate and he’d have his way.
The reality of the situation is that there is no hope in hell of him getting that particular clawback passed and so he pissed into the wind and now is surprised it came back into him full stream (why else cancel the Opposition day?). Will it unite the ‘left’ and create a new ruling party trouncing him from 24 Sussex? Not likely, you’re right but not for the reasons you cite. The potential to unite is there but Rae and Iggy are unlikely to sign on more so than the Bloc and that kills it right there on the vine.
in between ‘own’ and ‘he’ should be the word “belief” thus making me make sense. I’m using an unfamiliar keyboard at the moment and deleted it somehow
http://www.theglobeandmail.com.....m_mostview
I’m less concerned about whether the government will or will not collapse, and more concerned about his statements at his press conference this afternoon. Mr. Dion was not elected? He has no right to govern? Does Harper consider himself President of Canada now?
“He” was not elected. His party won the largest plurality of seats. Thus, his statements today rub me the wrong way, in that–to quote Jay Currie, “What it ignores is the fact that Harper did not win a majority, that it is open to the Opposition to, at any time, put forward a leader who claims to enjoy the confidence of the House, and that this is within the finest traditions of Parliament.”
I have grave concerns about Steven Harper, one of whose candidates I volunteered for in the twice prior election (I couldn’t bring myself to after the summer of pandering, ’08). He has shown himself incapable, and it’s time to move on. A weak and cobbled-together government of Libs/NDP/Bloc will serve us well to clean out the existing leadership of the three nationals.
God speed, Mr. Harper. It’s time to go.
JS
HEAR HEAR!
The very idea of the treason party uniting with the libs and NDP is hilarious: the separatists suddenly want to form a coalition? LOL!
it’s treasonous to engage in politics on non-criminal terms?
Well, now you’re just being stupid because I disagreed with you in another thread.
I merely highlighted the irony of the Bloc suddenly wanting to play house with the other parties but I guess that was too much for your snob mentality to absorb. Perhaps if you get your nose out of the air, some blood will actually flow to your elitist brain.
You did this by calling them treasonous — which they are not. They are a ‘legal’ party in every sense and they hold a significant % of the house because they reflect views held by a number of PQ voters and calling them names isn’t going to change that.
I’m far from an elitist, you however are seriously a dolt.
“Stephane Dion (who doesn’t even HAVE guys anymore)”
I don’t care who you are, that was funny!
This coalition talk is just that, talk. I can’t agree more with kaqchikel, over at civitatensis.ca,
Ha! Good quote Greg!
I think the government is finished. I can’t believe the conservatives did this to themselves. Everyone except for the conservatives were licking their wounds after that last election. The conservatives could have easily stayed in power for at least 2 years while the liberals regrouped. Instead, they went after party funding which surprise surprise was something the Bloc, Liberals and NDP could agree on.
A very important rule to remember is never to government a minority government like you have a majority.
This is such a dumb move on the part of the conservatives that I’m starting to believe they want to turn over power so they can blame this weak coalition for the pending economic downturn and the subsequent recession.
As a Canadian woman, I voted for Harper to be a strong leader, not a panty-waist liberal. I have confidence in him. I agree with his cutting funding to the welfare parties of the Libs, Layton’s and the treason party. Some of you are mistaking “bullying” for what is strength on the part of our leader Stephen Harper. Are Canadians such global whining wimps that we fail to recognize the difference?
Sign the petition:
http://www.nocoalition.ca
Say NO to this banana republic move by the three clowns: Stephanie Dion, Layton the bandit and Duceppe the Dunce!