Way to much time and energy being put into the he-said, she-said, who said-what coalition clamor. What it comes down to is a simple question and a yes or no answer. If any journalist wants to be done with the coalition talk and move onto more important things like the economy and health care there is an easy way to do it. Have Mr. Ignatieff and Mr. Layton answer one simple question. Have them do it on camera for all to see. The question is:
1. Mr. Layton, if the Conservative government is again voted in with a minority government, will you and your party, the NDP, allow the Throne Speech and budget to pass and not put forth a motion of non-confidence for a period of at least 18 moths.?
2. Mr. Ignatieff, if the Conservative government is again voted in with a minority government, will you and your party, the Liberal Party of Canada, allow the Throne Speech and budget to pass and not put forth a motion of non-confidence for a period of at least 18 moths?
If the leaders of the respective parties say yes, we can move on. If they fudge the answer, or try and allow for wiggle room, Canadians will know that a coalition of Lib-NDP-Bloc is the most likely scenario in the case of a Conservative minority.
Either way, Canadians know what to expect and can make their voting decision on that.
We cant stop asking about the coalitions or arrangments.
ReplyDeleteHistorical accuracy matters!!!
This is fudamental and basic to our democracy.
Lets smoke out the truth and God help the candidates at the polls if they were not straight with us.
This issue will not stick with the general populous, thus it will change few minds. It sounds to most that they are throwing styrofoam bricks at each other.
ReplyDeleteWe won't know for sure if it's working or not until the next set of polls come out. Also yes it's the focus right because the platforms aren't out yet. Once that starts those things will lead. The press needs something to talk about and having them talk about the coalition can't hurt I think.
ReplyDeleteJust because Igula says he won't do it, do you think it's really got any weight? Dion said he wouldn't do it and both he and Igula signed on. Mini-Marx, and the Bloc can be trusted as far as their ideology allows them to stray from the Communist Manifesto. Igula just plain lies at every opportunity..but then, he's a Liebral.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your question if you agree that if the NDP or Liberals get a minority government the the conservatives do the same agree to pass the buget and try to bring the government down.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
ReplyDeleteahhh bing you have to realize that the Bloc Quebecoise have vetto power on any money bill that comes through the house of commons which means they can say we don't want ontario'B.C or what ever province to have that. were going to vetto it. basically they will have. controll over canada like a dictator ship so no were not to drop the coalition. there unless you want a seperate canada.
ReplyDeleteI stopped caring about this coalition issue yesterday.
ReplyDeleteInstead, let's talk about the fact that each and every parliamentary committee over the last five years has been loaded in favour of the Opposition. The mere fact that despite all of the Opposition rhetoric and vitriol the government lasted as long as it did is indicative of the extent Conservatives are willing to go to make government work.
Finally, after five years they said 'enough is enough'.
Now, I wish they'd say just that.
Exactly Neil. And the fact those same committees refused to allow witnesses for the government on many occasions. And they preach about transparency.
ReplyDeleteAfter knocking on at least 100 doors in the last three days one issue stands out, at least out here in the boonnies of B.C.
ReplyDeletePeople are mad as hell at an election being forced and wasting 300 million bucks.
Second issue they can't stand see Ignatieff on TV. They don't like him and they don't trust him.
I am sure the media will do as they wish, so to heck with them. Just keep banging away and stop
picking at every nuance.
mel
Jane Taber on QP this morning expressed (seemingly genuine) concern that the Libs needed to hold on to the 20 or so seats in Toronto to, I suppose, maintain their credibility.
ReplyDeleteShe didn't say anything about the Liberals lack of representative throughout the rest of Canada.
Nor did she seem all that concerned that there might be a bigger story there than in the coalition story they were dealing with.
Do reporters always need a swift kick in the ass to get them to delve deeper into a story or is it only the parliamentary politainment guys who need the occasional kick?
It used to be that when we referred to the ROC as the "Rest Of Canada" we were referring to Canada outside of Quebec but in relation to the Liberal Party we're referring to the rest of Canada outside of the inner condos of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
I think this is all part of a grand plan to ensnare Harper.
ReplyDeleteThats when I think politiziation goes ot the window and the parliamentary scholars will weigh in during the election and provide the history about our parliamentary traditions.
England presently has a conservative coalition government.
Canada was founded by a Liberal-Conservative coalition.
Sir John A MacDonald was a Liberal-Conservative Prime Minister at the time of Confederation, not a Conservative.
Aside from the political spin th question will be does Harper recognize the history, convention of the parliamentary tradition or not?
And the party that won the most votes is in that coalition in England. Funny how coalition supporters forget that little truth.
ReplyDeleteAnd regardless of what history teaches, a coup has never been planned in Canada to overthrow an elected govt. So, as it will be a new thing, why would not the GG say no, PMSH will govern with your support or we will have an election next week.