Isn't This Exactly Why The Tories Wanted An Election Date Law?

The Tories, when in opposition, bitched constantly about how the Liberals used the timing of elections as a weapon with which to screw them when they were least prepared to fight back. Now that they are in power and despite the fact that they pushed a fixed election date law on Canadians, the Tories have suddenly discovered the efficacy of screwing the opposition when it is down.

The Tory insider said that Mr. Harper and his strategists looked at the landscape – the economy possibly getting worse and Mr. Dion possibly getting better over the next few months – and decided that they had to go to the polls this fall.

“All those factors outweighed the grief they were going to take for breaking their own legislation,” the insider said. “If you let the by-elections take place and you do super well in the by-elections, then it looks like you are an opportunist. If you don't do so well as people expect in the by-elections, you look like the momentum has gone.

“And if you're determined to go … it looks like this is what you do.”

The arrogance of this whole power play is just breathtaking. The chief justification for passing the election date law was to precisely end this kind of governmental advantage. Now, whether we needed this kind of law at all, is a side issue. However, the fact that the very party and government that pushed for this law in the first place is so willing to toss it overboard at the first opportunity, should give all voters pause. This Tory Party will do anything for power. Anything.

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