Liberals, NDP and Bloc intend to dissolve Parliment with a coalition (Canada)

[grantdevine]

Run time: 09:48 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzLcXVCl4KU   Posted on YouTube: December 01, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: December 02, 2008 By DU Member: grantdevine Views on DU: 1355

 
This is essentially a done deal. Stephen Harper will attempt, next week, to ask the Queens representative in Canada to call another election, but she very likely will not say no to the Liberal request to form a government with a coalition that has the signed support of the majority of the House of Commons.

EDIT: Just to add a little more context...Stephen Harper essentially brought this on himself. He tagged political finance reform onto a financial update which would have denied the opposition parties about $2 per vote of taxpayers money. The Conservatives are swimming in money right now, so they could afford to lose that subsidy. It was a partisan stick in the eye of the opposition parties. It pissed them off to see Harper playing partisan politics while the economy is in crisis.

The main reason, however, that the opposition parties are taking this step is because there is no economic stimulus in the Conservatives financial update.

Harper has removed the political finance reform from his financial update, but it makes no difference now.

Canada will have it's first coalition government ever.

[HeresyLives]

1. Cross your fingers the GG

comes through for us.

[grantdevine]

2. All of the experts I've heard are saying she can't really say no. n/t

[ksimons]

3. oh snap!! ...nt

[applegrove]

4. My fingers are crossed.

[Creationismsucks]

5. Speaking as a Canuck

It's my (un-researched) understanding that the GG's role in this is largely regarded as nearly only ceremonial. She is the "Queen's representative in Canadian parliament" and though she technically has powers to hold up or deny these kinds of things, I believe it hardly ever happens.

"But what if she is sympathetic to the Conservative governing party?" I hear you ask.

Not worries there. She is NOT. She recently awarded the Order of Canada (a prestigious non-military award) to a famous crusader for abortion rights, Henry Morgentaller. Prime minister Harper was assailed from the right of his (conservative) party to speak up and do something about this, but he did not, simply citing that such a choice was the prerogative of the Governor-general.

I might be a little off in my summary here, but I put most of my energy in to following US politics.:blush:

[AzNick]

9. Isn't it a pain, though...

to ask permission to a lady sitting thousands of miles away to host elections?

[grantdevine]

10. Actually the Governor General lives in Ottawa.

She's the Queen's representative, but she doesn't consult with the Queen before making decisions.

I love the GG. Typically it's a purely ceremonial role, and even in this case her decisions will be dictated by the Constitution.

[AzNick]

11. You mean the capital is Ottawa?

Yeah, right. Do we look that stupid? Ottawa!

[grantdevine]

12. I can't see you, so I can't answer that.

:)

[iconicgnom]

6. That's classic Canadian Liberal/NDP politics

To my mind, it's very good politics!

[Winnipegosis]

13. Oh really?

It's "good politics" to have the Bloc, a party that seeks the destruction of Canada, propping up this charade?

This is nothing short of a colossal embarrassment, from all sides.

This is a power grab, pure and simple.

Look, Dion is quitting in May, and Layton gets what he couldn't possibly get any other way: 6 cabinet posts.

This is banana politics. In fact it's worse: it's a fruit cocktail, and who knows where it will end.

Who said Canadian politics was boring?

[iconicgnom]

14. Canadians deal with the Bloc. That's just a fact.

Of course it's "a power grab". How redundant can you get, with your cliches?

It's also how the asshole right-wing puppets get deposed in Canada, and it's why the "leftists" so hated by neocon assholes world-over have the last laugh.

[Winnipegosis]

16. Politics is no laughing matter.

When all the lowly people, we the voters, can do is sit and watch "democracy" in action, and have these clowns tell US how the government is going to function , and for how long THEY decide, without disclosing what their negotiating involved, that's a bloody kick in the head to us all.

If you are laughing at this, let me ask you this: would you be laughing if the the shoe was on the other foot? (cliche notwithstanding)

Somehow I don't think so.

Go ahead and laugh at Canada's peril.

[Creationismsucks]

18. Canada's Peril?

How is this perilous?

The Conservatives have benefited from a split left in Canada. Is it 'perilous' to the electorate when the ruling minority party loses power for acting strange? Most Canadian voters did NOT vote for the sitting Conservative party; most voted more on the left. This procedure is completely within the rules for how our system works. You call it a "power grab", but the voters for the other 3 parties, who between them hold a majority, *should* "grab" the power if they think they need to and can, shouldn't they?

As for the Bloc being involved in this coalition, I know it's not optimal, but the Conservatives themselves proposed precisely the same kind of witches' coven back when they were the minority; now suddenly they have a problem with it (are we surprised?). I think if you have a separatist party from Quebec (whence I sit writing) that actually engages in the Canadian political process, it legitimizes Quebec's involvement in Canadian federation, and weakens their case for separation. From a federalist standpoint, the Bloc's involvement could therefore be seen as a great thing.

And I don't just write all this our of some blinkered a priori hatred of the Conservative party. All in all, I don't mind them as much as most Canadians here at DU probably do. I just don't see this move as being as dangerous or illegitimate as you seem to. Certainly not necessarily perilous.

But as I say, my actual knowledge of these things is quite limited; by all means correct whatever I'm saying here that's off-base!

[LiberalLovinLug]

19. Here here

good post

Although I DO mind the Conservatives being in power. If Harper had been in power as the Iraq war started, instead of opposition, Canadian troops would also be mired in that despicable invasion.

He has already passed some draconian drug laws. (one pot plant = automatic 6 months in jail)
He's a snide arrogant christo-fascist like all the neo-cons.

Although now you hear the right wing Asper monopoly owned press already screaming about this coalition idea. Its success all depends on who wins the media over, and the conservatives have a huge advantage. Asper, Rogers, Global, are all right wing owners and they own nearly every TV, radio, and newspaper in the country.

Canada doesn't even have an Air America. Air Canada is a f'n airline wouldn't you know it. For a country that is perceived as left of center, we have virtually no left of center media in this country. The CBC, which the Conservatives have been slashing funding to, and infiltrating their executive boards, are moderately inclusive of both left and right.

[Pab Sungenis]

7. Jack Layton finally redeemed himself.

Back when he joined the Conservatives to force Paul Martin out as PM, he sold his soul for "party building."

Now he's finally realized that the leftists and moderates have to put the good of their nation ahead of the good of their parties, and deny the neocons the right to the tyrrany of a minority.

[iconicgnom]

15. Nevertheless, he still made a major mistake.

A "directional mistake" of first magnitude.

[AspenRose]

8. Typical Conservative SOP....overreach and get greedy and arrogant

They can't help it. It's what they do.

[iamthebandfanman]

17. nice, making history is neat n/t