EMAIL SIGN UP!
Most Popular This Week
- Wisconsin Bill Would Treat Organic Milk, Sharp Cheddar, Brown Eggs as "Junk Food"
- Patent Filing Claims Solar Energy ‘Breakthrough’
- Climate Change's 'Evil Twin': Ocean Acidification
- Disaster Capitalism Strikes as Hedge Funds Circle Near-Bankrupt Municipalities Like Vultures
- Ignoring Bee Crisis, EPA Greenlights New 'Highly Toxic' Pesticide
- Patent Filing Claims Solar Energy ‘Breakthrough’
- Wisconsin Bill Would Treat Organic Milk, Sharp Cheddar, Brown Eggs as "Junk Food"
- Climate Change's 'Evil Twin': Ocean Acidification
- In 'March Toward Disaster,' World Hits 400 PPM Milestone
- Ignoring Bee Crisis, EPA Greenlights New 'Highly Toxic' Pesticide
Popular content
Today's Top News
Canada's PM Tries to Head Off Bid to Topple Him
OTTAWA - Canada's prime minister was expected to try Thursday to suspend parliament in an unprecedented effort to delay a vote that could bring down the new government because of dissatisfaction over its handling of the economy.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper responds to a question during a Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa Wednesday, Dec.3, 2008. The Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois opposition parties, which together control a majority in Parliament, signed a pact Monday agreeing to vote to oust Harper's minority government next week and setting the structure for their proposed coalition government.(AP Photo/ The Canadian Press,Adrian Wyld) Stephen Harper set a morning meeting
with the unelected representative of the head of state, Governor
General Michaelle Jean, who has the power to grant the unusual request
to suspend parliament.
The two will discuss the political crisis threatening to bring down Harper's Conservative party less than two months after it won re-election. On Wednesday night, Harper condemned the opposition plan to gain power in a no-confidence vote next week as undemocratic.
Three opposition parties have united against Harper, charging he has failed to insulate Canada from the global financial crisis. The credit crisis and a global sell off commodities has slowed Canada's resource rich economy and the finance minister said last week he expects a recession.
The opposition was also outraged by a government proposal to scrap public subsidies for political parties, something the opposition groups rely on more than the Conservatives. Although that proposal was withdrawn, the opposition has continued to seek Harper's ouster, saying he has lost the trust and confidence of parliament.
A cabinet minister said Harper would ask the governor general to suspend parliament until next month - giving him time to develop a stimulus package that could prop up the economy.
"We're hoping that the governor general will grant a time out and then we can come back on January 26 when parliament is due to resume," Conservative House Leader Jay Hill told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. on Thursday morning. "We can bring in a budget the next day on January 27."
Jean represents Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, who is head of state for Canada as well. It is mostly a ceremonial position, but she decides whether to grant a request to suspend parliament.
If she turns down the request, Harper would have two choices: step down or face a no-confidence vote he is sure to lose on Monday.
Harper's Conservative Party was re-elected Oct. 14 with a strengthened minority government, but still must rely on the opposition to pass legislation.
The Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois, which together control a majority of parliament's 308 seats, signed a pact agreeing to vote this coming Monday to oust Harper and setting the structure for their proposed coalition government.
In a televised address Wednesday night, Harper vowed to use "every legal means" to stop the move to unseat his minority government. He said this was a pivotal moment in Canada's history, a time of global economic instability when the government must stand unequivocally for keeping the country together.
"The Opposition does not have the democratic right to impose a coalition," Harper said in his address to the nation. "The opposition is attempting to impose this deal without your say, without your consent, and without your vote. This is no time for back-room deals."
He said the government cannot enter into a power-sharing coalition with a separatist party, referring to the Bloc Quebecois from the french-speaking province of Quebec. The Bloc is backing the opposition coalition led by the Liberals and Democrats.
Opposition Liberal leader Stephane Dion said a suspension of parliament would only delay the inevitable. Dion urged Jean in a letter Wednesday to reject Harper's request, arguing it would prolong the crisis and exacerbate the country's economic difficulties.
If the opposition plan succeeds, it would be the first time that a Canadian government has been ousted in a confidence vote and replaced by an opposition coalition without an intervening election.
Analysts said a governor general has never been asked to suspend parliament to delay an ouster vote when it was clear the government didn't have the confidence of a majority of legislators.
- Posted in
Comments
Note: Disqus 2012 is best viewed on an up to date browser. Click here for information. Instructions for how to sign up to comment can be viewed here. Our Comment Policy can be viewed here. Please follow the guidelines. Note to Readers: Spam Filter May Capture Legitimate Comments...
40 Comments so far
Show AllOf course the opposition has the RIGHt to form a Coalition. This is how a Parliamentary system works Mr Harper.
Harper and the Conservatives are using tactics of fear to try and stay in power. They are claiming any party that allies with the Bloc is committing an act close to treason YET.
Over the past 2 years the Bloc voted with the Conservatives who were a Minority some 100+ times passing legislation that otherwise would not have passed.
The fact is this. The Conservatives have lost the Confidence of the House of Commons. Sitting members representing 60 percent plus of the vote of the electorate do not have confidence in the Conservatives.
What could be more democratic then having 60 percent rule rather then 37 percent rule?
PK
The GG has agreed to suspend parliament until Jan 26/09 at which time the Conservatives will table a budget.
typical bully: they're all tough and blustery until you standup to them, then they run and hide behind their mommy's skirt shouting "you're not playing fair!!"
Notice Harper's "Good Republican Haircut" and compare it to John (Man With the Tan) Boehner, Trent Lott, Haley Barbour, etc. These louts always have that smooth news anchor haircut that looks like the lawns at the country clubs they belong to. George Wanker Bush tries to have that hair style but it never works. His mop always looks like a used SOS pad.
If you hit Harper in the head with a rock (get thee behind me, Satan!), a piece of his hair would break off, like plastic.
According to the latest version of the talking points being circulated around to the Conservative astroturf campaign, I'm "treasonous" to expect the Prime Minister to face Parliament.
I'm pretty sure Harper's office ordered up his propaganda from Rove's Print Shop.
In Canadian media it's wall-to-wall "The coalition is aligned with separatists who want to destroy the country!"
Good to see the AP bury this newspeak near the bottom of this piece; though, in typical U.S. style, it completely ignores Harper's ban on public union strikes until at least 2011. That was another key part of his overall proposal last week which prompted the formation of this coalition.
Yes I thought some of the words were repeating talking points from the South (USA).
"Can't have a government with "SOCIALISTS" as well as "SEPARATISTS". Goodness the sky might fall! Also there is lots of flag waving and singing of "Oh Canada". Soon they will all have flag pins on their suits.
However Harper got his wish from the Governor General, and the doors are locked on parliament. Even some people who voted for the Conservatives are questioning Harper's attitude.
Just remember, Canadian friends, that Harper has been working hard with the Bush government and the Mexican government to push the "Greater North American Co-Prosperity Sphere" which will make the three countries one nation. If you read the small print, that means that the vast natural resources of Canada can be raped by American Big Business, using cheap Mexican labor.
This will all be overseen by Homeland Security and probably Blackwater. To rid themselves of a lot of the accumulated debt, the Amero will be introduced and the current currencies devalued to a few cents on the Amero.
The middle class will be destroyed and North America will once again be run by robber barons, (or captains of industry as they used to like to be called) with a continent of serfs begging for scraps to feed their families.
As Hitler tried to set up Festung Europa (Fortress Europe) to protect his empire, we will have a Festung America to keep all at bay.
Perhaps Canadians can head this off. I don't have too much hope for the American sheeple.
A bunch of nonsence such as this does not rate a reply.
Hubris, thy name is Harper. The Conservatives had gotten so used to having their way as a minority government that they thought they could get away with anything.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, who left Ontario's finances in a shambles when he was provincial finance minister under Mike Harris and Ernie Eves, is trying to do the same at the federal level by reducing federal taxes, while preventing public servants from improving their wages, and holding yard sales of federal assets to avoid deficits.
But removing the public financing for political parties is an insidious move intended to undermine the finances of populist parties while the well-heeled donors backing the Conservatives can keep them in power and clean up from Conservative policies favouring the wealthy.
These three stooges that are trying to pull a powder less coup would not know how to form a government.
Any person can stand up and make blanket statements of which they know nothing of and could not produce.
This is banana republic thinking, The next lower step is mob rule.
If these idiots can make a take over in this way, I'll gather a couple others with small accounts in my bank and start making the banks monetary decisions.
What confused gobbledigook! The parliamentary system is great and so incredibly straight-forward. It all depends on who the people send to the House of Commons. If they send enough MPs for one party to have a majority gov't, then they can pass their laws by themselves.
But Canadians gave the majority to the OPPOSITION and Harper clearly went against the desires of the Opposition and the majority of Canadians (that they represent) and so the opposition has every right, and in fact has the responsibility to topple this minority gov't that's going against the wishes of the Canadian electorate.
Your hero Stevie-boy, Bush's little puppy dog, wrote to the GG in 2004 asking her to do exactly that...give him power, rather than call an election if Prime Minister Paul Martin asked for one after being defeated (at the time it looked certain that he would be defeated in the House).
So it was good for the CONservatives, but doesn't work for anyone else... Typical.
While this has been referred to as a "Constitutional crisis" , it my feeling this showed the power of the Parliamentary system.
Consider this. Stephen Harper initially was going to halt public funding to all political parties. The opposition forced him to remove that measure. He was going to ban Public workers from striking. He has removed that measure. He was going to play wait and see on the economy rather then introduce a stimulus and now indicates he will table a budget to stimulate the economy.
In short he caved in to the opposition on everything.
Contrast that with the democrats in the United States who even with a majority in Congress CAVED IN to the President on Virtually every measure the President wanted.
I also think that if the NDP and Liberals smart they can use this to their advantage. Wait until the budget is tabled. If it a budget thay can not support then what they should do is announce they will vote against it.
They should NOT include the Bloc in this statement.
Harper will either have to try to get the BLOC to support him, or his Governmnet falls. If he even attempts to curry favor with the Bloc his words can be turned back on him.
Harper has done great damage to the hopes of the Conervative party in the future. In order to get a majority he was hoping for a breakthrough in Quebec. He is losing support rapidly as he compares slags the elected members from that Province as being traitorous. He is stoking the fire of Seperatism.
Aw whatsa matter Harpie--are you having a difficult month or two? I listened to CBC coverage over the past couple days and was impressed by two things:
1. How hyperbolicaly foolish Harper and his florid rhetoric are.
2. How clearly most Canadians have seen through his blather.
You should listen to The World at 6 and As it Happens on CBC radio (6pm-8 pm) and be impressed with our Northern neighbor's lively and vigorous democracy.
It's all at:
CBC.ca
Poet
Poet, thank you for your comments re our "socialist" radio/tv station, the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). We, the taxpayers own it and though it can, at times, really suck, I am glad we have it. Harpie envisions defunding the CBC until it withers away -- one of many publicly supported systems such as single payer health care (Socialism again!) that the Cons would like to do away with.
This AP piece must have been written by some idiot who does not understand our system of governance. Coalition governments and non-confidence votes have taken place before and are completely within the ascribed democratic options of our elected leaders.
In my opinion, this is the most democratically active I have seen our oppositional parties since Harpie was first elected with his consistent minority leadership. He is such a TOOL (with a country club haircut, heheheh). Down with Harper! Go Democracy!
As someone who has lived in Canada (stationed as an Air Force enlisted man in Labrador during the 60's)I got a chance to know Canadians. At their best, they are capable of undistracted and thoughtful conversation not unlike many Brits I have known--but withlout that snooty sounding uppity accent :<))
Poet
Poet December 5th, 2008 9:32 am, I known some Canadians, too, and they were very nice, polite people but, once I got to know them, they confessed -- pleasantly and deferentially -- that they thought most Americans were nuts for such things as not jailing Nixon; putting up with Reagan; giving any credence whatsoever to the Christian Right; accepting our inadequate for-profit health care disaster and, of course, ever electing a fatuous bonehead like Junior to our highest office. They didn't much care for our major brands of beer, either, an opinion I'd second.
I haven't checked with my Canadian pals about -- excuse me, 'aboot' -- this latest twist with Harper but I'll be interested to see what they have to say on the subject. I'll bet they're stunned that the Queen's Gov.-General stepped in,, ala King Charles, to quell the exercise of parliamentary democratic processes in Ottawa -- that just isn't done. It may also hasten the growing movement to separate Canada from the UK.
Are you talking about the sarcastic way Brits refer to each other as "the Honourable Member"?
You should see the convenient way the word "ideological" is pronounced in Canada - it is "ideal logical" if it is your side and "idi ilogical" (as in idiot) when referring to one's opponent.
Harper has brought this to a new low - before this, it was only Quebec who referred to the author of the Clarity Act as a Vendu (blood traitor). The Clarity Act dictated that one cannot have a referendum on Quebec separation without a clear question - which is why Ducceppe agreeing to work with Dion is all the more remarkable.
Dion's tape did look like it was done on a phone cam - which means there is some internal sabotague. Dion being the leader of the Coalition was said to have favoured Bob Rae (ie the naked guy) over Iggy (has been compared to Jim Carey's Grinch) - since 50 of their MPs would pick Iggy over Rae to lead the party. Expect the leadership of the Liberal party to be decided in two weeks - and probably next weekend.
Dion is leader of the Liberals until they pick a new leader and Iggy and Rae are running to replace him. The Leadership race was to be held the end of April beginning of May - but I doubt this will be the case.
Vaudree December 6th, 2008 12:51 pm:"Are you talking about the sarcastic way Brits refer to each other as "the Honourable Member"?"
LOL -- perhaps in the same vein as Bierce in "The Devil's Dictionary":
"HONORABLE, adj. Afflicted with an impediment in one's reach. In legislative bodies it is customary to mention all members as honorable; as,'the honorable gentleman is a scurvy cur.'"
-- http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/abierce/bl-abierce-h.htm
I'm glad the 'ideal-logical' gentlemen here -- Dion and Layton -- finally came to their senses and formed a coalition to oppose Harper -- why didn't they do it before the election, and brought the Greens into the fold, as well?
Thanks for the compliments.
Here, one gets "honorable" as a title for life if one has been either a leader of a Federal party or a Cabinet Minister - some try but fail to match the British degree of sarcasm when saying it. Things in the last few days of Parliament made "scurvy cur" seem like a term of affection. Words such as "traitor" and "liar" were being bandied about - and the tradition is to insinuate (but not actually use) the "l" word.
Much fuss has been made over the fact that Harper and his MPs have been using the term "separatist" to refer to the Bloc in english and "sovereigntist" to refer to the Bloc in french - even in otherwise identical speeches. I tend to use the former because it is easier to spell and Americans get what I mean easier - though it is offensive to use in Quebec.
There are a lot of differences between the Liberals and the NDP - moreso than between the NDP and Bloc under Duceppe (the previous Bloc leader was closer to the Liberals on non sovereignty issues). The NDP has done its best for Canada when it has held the balance of power during Minority governments. Because of this, Liberals with a Minority government tend to be more progressive while Liberals with a Majority government tend to be more right leaning.
If the NDP stopped running Candidates and there was just the Liberal party, the Liberals may have a better chance in power, but it would be a watered down version of Harper's party.
The NDP has never ruled out balance of power or coalitions after elections - though would prefer to have clout to influence government than give it away.
It was the NDP and the Bloc who got together first and then, when Harper became unreasonable, got the Liberals in as well. The Liberals would not have initiated this at this time because their leader (Dion) is just staying around until the Liberals pick a new leader. The Liberals were going to pick a new leader May 2, but it is apt to be moved up dramatically.
Checking your link.
Here is the Election Dictionary:
http://www.cbc.ca/canadavotes2004/voterstoolkit/anelectiondictionary.html
Vaudree December 6th, 2008 7:02 pm, thanks for that informative link. Much of it I knew, but this is the first I've heard of such things as 24 Sussex, Rideau Hall and Stornoway. Also thanks for the background on the opposition to the Tories -- we don't get that kind of analysis in our news here in the US.
I saw a debate between Conservative Harper and the Liberal, New Democrat, Bloc Quebecois and Green party candidates a couple of months ago on C-Span; I guess I came to the conclusion that the NDP, LP, BQ and Greens fundamentally agreed with each other since they spent most of the time going after Harper -- Jack Layton was particularly ferocious, as I recall. (Too bad we don't have many New Democrats like him in the US.) Harper was oddly Bushian, albeit more articulate, as he grinned and emitted empty pre-fab answers, when he wasn't engaged in evading the question altogether. It looked to me like he was just trying to run out the clock without saying anything substantial, similar to US pols. It's hard for me to believe anyone would vote for such an obvious 'good hair' slickster as Harper, but, then, I was surprised when Reagan won in 1980.
This has been a historic situation in Canada in that for the first time in history what is happening up here in politics is far more interesting that anything happening down there in the Excited States.
Dafoe
Let Parliament work. A lot of idiots on the right seem to think they voted for a party and a leader, the truth is that on the ballot is just names with no party affilliation, one could send all independants to Ottawa and they would have to work out their own salvation as to who would be Prime Minister etc. The right are scared sh**less of the BQ whose MP's were elected by the same rules as Harper and the conservative dim bulbs. Harper got his repreive but come the first non confidence vote and if the opposition join hands, he will be defeated.
Messy system but it works unless you want to be "The Leader" then it gets in ones way. Harper should fall on his sword or resign, how can he make speeches when he repeatedly shot self in foot which was in mouth which was full of effluvium.
A lot of the tighty righty's think they live in a yankee style of government. They have no understanding of what it means to have a parliament. Harper, by proroging the house has shown that he's a coward. There's no way his government can survive running away from a confidence vote, he's only going to succeed at making the opposition madder than they already are. As for the right wing talking points coming from the rove wing of the albertastan party, screw them. Come January no one's going to want to try and save those tory arses.
The economy is not strong, Canada has a resource based economy that relies on the states to buy our metals, oil, gas and grains. And the yanks aren't buying thanks to the (predictable) failure of the so-called chicago school of Economics (a school of thought that Stevie boy earnestly believes in - even now).
Oh crap, he doesn't need 6 weeks to prepare a budget. This is awful.
The Bloc leader was asked if Harper would come back a changed man after Parliament resumes in January... I liked his answer:
"If my grandmother was a wheel, I guess she could be a tractor".
So "no".
Another one said that Harper is a bully who is getting mean because he is backed into a corner, the typical behavior of a bully.
Harper did manage to run things delicately enough to hold things together for the past two years of a minority government, but having the same result in the recent election must have made him restless because he has been pushing the buttons of the opposition in an attempt to see how much they will take.
Not much, and good for them to stand up to it, but the timing of all this really sucks for Canada. We could use a stimulus package, but that is something Harper is ideologically against, and wants to avoid, which is why he started doing all this.
[Yes, I am Canadian]
"The Opposition does not have the democratic right to impose a coalition," Harper said . "The opposition is attempting to impose this deal without your say, without your consent, and without your vote. This is no time for back-room deals."
BULLSHIT, LITTLE STEVIE
THE MAJORITY OF CANADIANS VOTED AGAINST THE CONSERVATIVES. THE OPPOSITION PARTIES ARE TOTALLY WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS TO FORM A MAJORITY COALITION AND FORM A GOVERNMENT.
This is just a sample of Harper's "Rove Lite" propoganda. HE must think we are all stupid. He is a nasty little asswipe, who has no business being outside Alberta.
MOVE TO THE USA, STEVE-O!!!
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
Stevie-kins was born and raised in Ontario. Don't blame my province for that sob.
"We must realize the enormity of what has happened here today. For the first time in the history of Canada, the prime minister of Canada is running away from the Parliament of Canada." - Liberal Leader Stephane Dion.
-
"I cannot have confidence in a prime minister who would throw the locks on the door of this place, knowing that he's about to lose a vote in the House of Commons. That's denying about as fundamental a right as one has in a democracy." - NDP Leader Jack Layton.
-
"The Conservative leader has managed to do something quite extraordinary, which is to attract the criticism of all the leaders in Quebec." - Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe.
-
"To think that the Governor General can prolong this insane economic insecurity driven by Stephen Harper and Jim Flaherty is wrong-headed." - Ken Lewenza, president of the 250,000-strong Canadian Auto Workers union.
-
"For us, it's total chaos because there's no government to talk to. We may not have an industry left the way this is going." - Dave Coles of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, which represents 150,000 forest industry workers.
-
"By delaying this, it's not going to make it go away. It's just delaying the eventual overturn of Stephen Harper's government." - University student Talbert Johnson at a pro-coalition rally on Parliament Hill.
-
"It's politics, it's pure rhetoric. Everything that's been happening is both legal and constitutional." - Ned Franks, retired Queen's University expert on parliamentary affairs, on Harper's charge that opposition attempts to defeat the government are undemocratic.
-
"He's appealing to people who learned their civics from American television." - Henry Jacek, a political scientist at McMaster University, on Harper's populist theory of democracy being more suited to the U.S. than a parliamentary system.
-
"We have a rule that the licence to govern is having the confidence of the House of Commons. I'm sorry, that's the rule. If they want to change it to having a public opinion poll, we'd have to reform and rewrite our Constitution." - Peter Russell, a former University of Toronto professor and adviser to past governors general, on Harper's democracy claims.
-
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
mujeriego December 5th, 2008 3:10 am, thanks for the quotes -- very enlightening, and I'm glad most Canadians seem to have some sense. (BTW, we have the same 30-odd -- and I do mean odd -- percent of the population who are committed conservatives even if they're living in their cars and eating at the free food pantry.)
can we recall the Governor General?
Adios Northern Shrub!
I am sure the AIPAC phoned Harper and said well done Harper. I noticed his praise for Israel before thre election. WHAT DO THEY HAVE ON YOU HARPER?
Dion ( leader of the liberals for you Americans) should step down before he said and let the Libs have a shot at kicking the conservatives with a new leader
In NOV CANANDA LOST 70,600 JOBS AND WHAT DOES HARPER DO? HE TAKES A 2 MONTH VACATION, SOME LEADER
THE GOV GENERAL SCREWED UP BIG TIME OF THIS, TIME FOR A PROTEST OR TWO TO SEND HER SORRY BUTT BACK TO HAITI WHERE SHE CAN TAKE UP HER OLD PROFESSION OF WORKING THE CORNER
I just read that the Governor-General is going to let Harper have his way until January when Parliament reconvenes. A representative of the Liberals has said that Harper is only postponing the inevitable — he’ll be gone by February and good riddance to bad rubbish.
I confess I don’t follow Canadian politics closely, but I was made aware of Harper because he tapped some of the Bush Gang to run his campaign and still gets back-channel advice from them — in other words, he is a neocon in a world that is rejecting that philosophy.
Perhaps Harper can buy a luxury home in Dallas down the street from Junior when he's forcibly retired — they can then sit together by the pool and revise history at their leisure.
A little perspective on things...
NHL Coalition
Having decided that the Detroit Redwings technically won the 2008 Stanley Cup, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Stars have formed a coalition demanding a three way ownership of the league title. Rational for their decision revolves around their total combined scoring in the 2008 Semi-Finals, their total share of season ticket holders versus the Detroit Redwings and their horror at discovering the Detroit Redwings are using a more cost effective and efficient but non-union made Silver polish to keep the Stanley Cup gleaming.
The three teams are being assisted in their bid to overturn the traditional results by members of the Quebec Hockey League who have no real interest in the success of the NHL in general but sense an opportunity to demand Zambonis and other critical equipment be manufactured in Quebec. Player representatives, Team Owners and Nike are expected to submit their proposals to Don Cherry in the next few days. Fans and ticket holders are neither being asked or allowed a voice in the final decision.
alien8 December 5th, 2008 9:48 pm, if democracy were ice hockey, your analogy would be appropriate, but it's not. The fact is, 60 percent of Canadians wanted someone other than Harper as their Prime Minister and even I know that a minority PM is expected to accommodate the other factions in parliament which Harper hasn't done. On top of which, he has appealed to an unelected monarch to keep himself in power -- to return to your ice hockey nonsense, this is something like appealing to the president of the league to stop the game because you happen to be losing.
The Hockey analogy would only work if Harper had a Majority - he didn't get one.
Then again, if Harper had a Majority, he would not have to lock the doors of Parliament to save his job because he would have enough MPs to win a Confidence vote.
Then again, if Harper had a Majority, affirmative action would be gone, the right to strike would be gone, and Harper would be trying to fix the jobless situation in the automotive and lumber sections, which he said didn't exist by giving more of your hard earned money to the oil companies.
Under a Parliamentary system one needs the support of the greatest number of MPs in the House of Commons to rule. Both Germany and Israel have coalition governments as the norm and, if the coalition falls apart, the call is for whether another can be formed before there is even thought of heading for the polls.
A much better explanation than the one I attempted, Vaudree December 6th, 2008 12:35 pm, but, then, you have the advantage on me -- you possess more than my superficial knowledge of the Canadian political situation. (I'm learning!)
A lot for Americans to think about here --
Corrupt Capitalism running the show
Our unions are destroyed
No health care
Our public financing of campaigns undermined
And no leverage on Congress nor our president-elect
One party with two wings - both moving to the right --
PLUS Americans tring to overcome corrupted elections and rigged computers
"According to all myth, the female - not the male -- gives life"
The real reason that Harper sees Duceppe as scary (from one of Duceppe's Bloc MPs on Friday, November 28, 2008):
Ms. France Bonsant (Compton—Stanstead, BQ): Mr. Speaker, a few weeks before Christmas, 120 workers at Bow Group in Granby will be laid off indefinitely. Some 40 workers will also be affected by the permanent shut down of Sonoco. The entire manufacturing sector in the Monteregie region, and especially its thousands of workers, is threatened by the current economic meltdown.
Rather than bringing forward a comprehensive plan to help these families and the hundreds of workers who are worried sick about losing their jobs, the Conservative government presents them with an ideological statement completely devoid of any measures to address the crisis. This government does not intend to do anything to stimulate the economy and breathe life into it.
Furthermore, even as it chooses to suffocate the economy in spite of the serious difficulties affecting industry, this government still finds ways to increase military spending.
The Bloc Quebecois will speak out, loud and clear, regarding our opposition to the laissez-faire economics of this ultraconservative, backward-thinking government.
http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=40&Ses=1&DocId=3621526
Vaudree December 6th, 2008 1:45 pm: "Rather than bringing forward a comprehensive plan to help these families and the hundreds of workers who are worried sick about losing their jobs, the Conservative government presents them with an ideological statement completely devoid of any measures to address the crisis. This government does not intend to do anything to stimulate the economy and breathe life into it."
Obviously, the Canadian Tories have been listening closely to their counterparts in the US Republican Party -- this is the guff they've been peddling for years until the economy got so bad it couldn't be hidden anymore. Perhaps your Conservatives will try turning the whole mess over to the Liberals or New Dems and then spend the next decade blaming them for the disaster, as the GOP has done in the States.