Note To Michael Ignatieff

Macleans is suggesting that you are eying a new dance partner. I would suggest you read this first. He only wants you for your vote Mike and he won't call you the next day. I only say these things because I care.

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Spin The Wheel Steve

Well, the PM has changed his mind again. First, the downturn was "a good buying opportunity" and now it "could be" a depression. Does anyone else get the sense that Steveo is not a "steady hand" at the wheel of the ship (maybe the kind of "steady hand possessed by Edward Smith?--ed.)? Meanwhile "sources" have told the Globe that Flaherty is safe because he "is compliant with the Prime Minister's wishes." Does that fill anyone with confidence?

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Harper On The National

Well, I watched "Sweater Strategy II: The Humaning" on the National last night. Harper was all warm and fuzzy and "let's get together for the good of Canada". Blech. Sorry, I threw up in my mouth a little. His eyes though, could not hide the seething anger at being challenged by the "conspiracy". He will do what he can to get Ignatieff to dump the coalition and then he will dispatch Ignatieff. It was as clear as the smirk on his face.

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Harper Having An Impact

The lead editorial headline in Le Devoir this morning: "Harper, le pyromane" (Harper the Pyromaniac). Meanwhile in BC and keeping on the theme of fire. It seems someone burned NDP Nathan Cullen's sign down the night before last. It is time for the firebug in chief to take his matches and go home.

Update: I ran the Le Devoir editorial through Google translate. It is always an adventure, but the translator did a fairly good job. Read it yourself. See for yourself the damage Harper is doing to our country. It is time for him to go.

Harper the pyromaniac

Since the threat to overthrow the Harper government by a coalition NDP-PLC with the support of the Bloc Quebecois, Conservatives all ministers, including representatives of Quebec and the prime minister, adopt a very aggressive towards those that 'so-called "separatists". Behind these attacks appears to light so far retained a disregard of the former Canadian Alliance against the legitimate and democratic aspirations of French-speaking Quebec.

The frustration is such in the Conservative government that all shots are allowed to win the favor of public opinion in Canada and Britain. Both in their advertising that House members Conservatives have lost all sense of restraint, at the same time accusing the Liberals of betraying their country and the Bloc of betraying their ideals. It emerges from the conservative approach of pure fragrance of hatred against cursed "séparatisss" who choose the Quebec before that of Canada as a nation to protect their culture and identity.

When Conservative MPs and the Prime Minister rose in the House to accuse the PLC-NDP coalition to hand over its fate in the hands of a party that seeks only to destroy Canada, they make a triple fault: first d 'ignore the constructive contribution of the Bloc for democratic debate that took place in Ottawa for more than eighteen years and then not to recognize that all federalist parties, including the Conservative Party, have already signed formal agreements and informal with the Bloc in the interest of parliamentary work and finally, that the presence of the Bloc in Ottawa is also legitimate and respectable than any other member.

During his first term at the helm of a minority government, Stephen Harper has tried to forget about the radicals he had held in the past against Quebec nationalists. To listen since the beginning of this crisis of credibility that overwhelms his government about to be overthrown in four days or four weeks, these efforts have been buried under a torrent of spite because that gives millions of Quebecers do not having served a term majority on a silver platter.

The Conservatives have already forgotten that they have elected a handful of members in Quebec during the last two elections, while the Bloc won a majority of seats? That Quebecers have elected members of the Bloc instead of Conservative MPs, it is not a coincidence that they felt in their hearts and conscience that this party was better placed to defend their interests within the federation. However, the Bloc has not received the mandate to make independence in Ottawa and its support for the coalition does not particularly that goal. In fact, anyone who contributes the most to raise the passions and destructive ire of French at the moment is Stephen Harper and not Gilles Duceppe!

What happens past few days in the Commons confirms the negative interpretation from the economic statement last week. Whoever came during the last election campaign as a man of openness is emerging as a vengeful politician, and since Tuesday, the head of a party of arsonists. This climate, this is neither the Bloc nor the NDP or the Liberals who are responsible, but the very man who, heading a minority government, should have exercised restraint, openness and trial at this time of crisis in the country: Stephen Harper.

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Reaction To Harper's Commercial

Shorter Stephen Harper: There I was, minding my own business, when these three guys decided, for no reason, to gang up on me. AND ONE OF THEM WAS A GOD DAMN SEPARATIST!

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Where We Are Today

After yesterday's performance in the House by the PM, I would say we are past the point of no return. I can see no way out but to play this right to the end, now. However, this is going to be ugly and people should not underestimate how ugly it could get. Harper has essentially signaled to the opposition that he may lose, but he is more than willing to leave the "victors" a politically radioactive lump to govern. Meanwhile Iggy supporter, Warren Kinsella, has gone to ground. If I was a tea leaf reader, I would say that is not a good sign.

Update: Peter Russell, a man for whom I have a high regard, has a reasoned analysis of our parliamentary system and the situation in which we find ourselves. Sadly, his reason will be lost amid arguments over flag placement.

Update 2 Ok, he is back. I can breathe again.

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Quote Of The Day

Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel -- Samuel Johnson

Johnson didn't know how right he was.

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When The Vulcan Chess Master Met Big Blue

Over at Greg Staples place, OC and Greg S. have opined that Jack Layton was plotting against Harper and so no matter what Harper did, it is irrelevant because Layton was out to get him no matter what. I won't bother arguing about whether or not Layton was out to replace Harper, because I suspect it is true. Imagine a politician from one party plotting to replace the leader of another. What I do take issue with is the idea that Harper could have done anything and it wouldn't have mattered. There, I strongly disagree. Because without Harper and his disastrous, ridiculously clumsy, economic statement, Layton would be a man with a plot and not an about to be cabinet minister.

Harper, in his hubris, kicked the opposition once too often, going after the unions, women and (especially in the Liberal Party's case) the existence of the parties themselves. Without the economic statement's completely boneheaded partisanship, the Liberals would have found a way to support Harper. After all, they are broke and basically between leaders. It took as special brand of anger to get them to agree to follow Jack Layton into a constitutional gray zone. That anger was supplied to them by Stephen Harper. So, as I said to Greg and OC, Layton may have set the charge on this bomb, but Harper could have sidestepped it easily. But he didn't. Instead, he decided it would be fun to light the fuse.

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Speaking Only For Myself

Aside from that unpleasantness about Quebec separating, I think "Prime Minister Duceppe" would be much better in the job than the current occupant. Come on, be honest, having watched his performance both in the House and in debates, you think so too, don't you?

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News Item

Prime Minister Harper slagged Peter MacKay during Question Period, yesterday:

When we are talking about why people should have confidence, why should anybody have confidence in the leader of a party who would agree to fold his own party into another party, and to deal with the separatists in order to get the power the voters denied him at the ballot box?

Harsh and I think calling all Reformists "separatists" is a little over the top too.

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Where Now?

My money is still on prorogation. Desperate people do desperate things and these guys are wetting themselves. I suspect if their private polls find that a majority of Canadians a) don't know what prorogation is and/or b) do not mind a government in power for two weeks taking another two months off, the Tories will pull the plug.

Tuesday Update: John at Dymaxion World raises an interesting point.

Mike Duffy raised the issue of the government running out of money unless the Parliament votes on new money bills soon.

I admit, I hadn't thought of this, although I suspect it wouldn't bother some on the government side much. You can be sure the minions in the PMO are checking every corner of the known universe for some obscure rule, not used since the 13th century, that allows the King to raise money without Parliament's consent.

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Harper Wanted Layton To Be PM In 2004

According to Pierre Poilievre:

Poilievre rejected suggestions by the NDP that its co-operation with the Bloc was no different than what Conservatives did in 2004. At the time, opposition parties wrote then-Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson noting she could be asked to dissolve Parliament should the Commons defeat the Liberal minority government.

"We respectfully point out that the opposition parties, who together constitute a majority in the House, have been in close consultation," says the Sept. 9, 2004, letter signed by Harper, Duceppe and Layton.

"We believe that, should a request for dissolution arise, this should give you cause, as constitutional practice has determined, to consult the opposition leaders and consider all of your options before exercising your constitutional authority."

Poilievre said the situation is not the same.

"The word 'coalition' never appeared," he said. "It never suggested in the letter that … then opposition leader Harper would become prime minister.

"All it said is that opposition leaders who represent the majority of the House should be consulted before the dissolution of Parliament.

"You can look through all the records, and you will find that Stephen Harper has never even … remotely entertained a coalition with the BQ. " (emphasis mine)

So, if the Tories never wanted a coalition with the Bloc and Harper did not want to be PM, the only logical conclusion is the Harper wanted Layton to become PM in 2004. Who knew?

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Mystery Solved

Via Democratic Space the identity of the Tory Taper has been revealed. To say that the NDP "provided" the Tory Taper with the information required to join the conference call is a stretch to say the least.

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Why Now?

I will break this down so that Conservatives can understand why they are on the verge of falling. The times, dear Conservatives, call for a Conservative Obama. What we got was Richard Nixon.

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It Looks Like It Is On

CBC is saying it is a deal. I wonder if the two parties will sit together in the Commons tomorrow? Exciting times.

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Most Sensible Line Of The Day

From Paul Wells post:

Some Liberals say the NDP will not accept Bob Rae as PM. I spoke to an NDP negotiator who said the party does not care who serves as PM. “The Liberal leader will be PM. The Liberals get to decide who their leader is.”

My feelings exactly.

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Rogue Government

Yesterday morning, in comments to a Paul Wells post, I innocently asked "Paul is prorogation at the end of next week, out of the question?". I asked simply as a mental exercise. I asked myself, what is the slimiest, most cowardly way that the government could put off a day of reckoning until conditions might be better for them?

Think about it. If Harper prorogues, he can call parliament back after Obama has taken office and he can act as if none of this unpleasantness ever happened. Harper will come in with a new Throne Speech and a budget chalk full of goodies. Never mind that it will months later than needed and never mind that should something really bad happen between now and then, there will be no parliament to deal with it. It will also push the occupancy date of this government into months rather than weeks, so Harper will be able to whine to the GG that an "established" government is being threatened by a cabal of opposition parties and damn it, only an election can solve it.

To a sociopath like our PM and his minions in the PMO, it sounds like a "clever" plan. I put the thought aside though, because not even Steve, would do something that wantonly destructive to the parliament and politics of the country during an economic crisis. Apparently I was wrong to think so. Again. With Steve, a man without a moral compass of any kind, anything, anything is possible. If he gets away with this, the only tool left in his bag, would be to call out the army. But he wouldn't do that, would he?

Sunday Update To Another Story: Also, yesterday evening I suggested that perhaps this government could survive if Harper walked the plank and the Tories put in someone like Jim Prentice in his place. Apparently, someone was listening. Tip of the hat to Blogging if necessary, but not necessarily blogging.

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F.U. Do Over?

News item:

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty scheduled an announcement on Sunday as the government sought to persuade the country it was combating the economic slowdown, the CBC reported.

I wonder what Flaherty will say? "Gee, I was just kidding about cutting spending. Really, look here let me throw some money at these homeless guys. See, we're serious! Don't vote us out, Steve will kill me!" It is a possibility. Or, Flaherty could try to hold the line and feed the base. With this government, the only thing you can say for sure is, they won't be thinking of the country's best interest. We will either have a thrown together snow job or a rock-ribbed Republican hootenanny. Just more games from a bunch that just can't seem to grow up.

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Tories Throwing Meat To The Wolves

The wolves seem unimpressed. Really, seriously, about the only thing that might appease the opposition at this point is Harper's personal resignation. Anything less than that and I think the conclusion is forgone.

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Tory Drinking Game

Every time you hear one of these talking points over the next week, take a drink.

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