Looming Federal Election

[Treblehook]

Didn't get to hear all of the responses from the opposition parties today, but did hear some comments by Mr. Layton. These politicians today have no inhibitions whatsoever when it comes to insulting the intelligence of the voting public. They make me sick!! The Liberal leader has been pouring it on about how the Conservatives and Harper have not listened to the Canadian public and are going ahead with the spending on new fighter jets for the CF and so on. I guess Iggy would do as his Liberal predecessors and dessimate the assets of the Canadian Forces!!! God forbid that they get in again for that reason alone.

[Phoenix Within]

The Liberal leader has been pouring it on about how the Conservatives and Harper have not listened to the Canadian public and are going ahead with the spending on new fighter jets for the CF and so on.

It'll be just like the deal to replace the Sea Kings that got killed. If we don't pay for it now, will be paying twice the amount or more later on.

Sadly, the Liberals got in on the platform of killing the helicopter deal. We paid for that in more than a few ways!

[NAB]

Iggy's prattle about killing the fighter jet deal comes from the same insane and naive political game as his promise to fund a stadium for Quebec City. People can see through his naive Iggiocity so easily. The replacement fighter jets are a military need and the best choice to be compatible with our allies forces. To me it is no different than someone buying a car, and at some point having to plan for replacing it. Nothing lasts forever, but the Liberal approach would still have us using old military jeeps as personnel carriers in Afghanistan. A war they put us in ill equipped to handle the mission need I remind everyone. What a joke to make such an issue of the fighter jet replacement plan over many years to come! sometimes I think some people think this is an issue where we can just walk down to the local fighter plane dealership tomorrow, pick our favourite colour, and drive it off the lot.

Nab

[Urbane]

Iggy might catch fire during the campaign. I sincerely doubt it though. But I perked up a bit today when the Liberal Finance Minister of Ontario said that the provincial Liberals would be out campaigning for the federal party. Isn't that good news for Harper? Last time I looked the provincial Liberals were not very popular in Ontario and I've thought for some time now that the federal Liberals being down in the polls in Ontario might have something to do with that. Now you add in the provincial Liberals saying "Vote for the federal Liberals . . . they'll do the same great job we're doing" and that might be just what Harper wants to hear. Food for thought anyway.

[NAB]

Exactly right Urbane. Plus I was just listening to the Finance Minister, Layton and finally Iggy responding to questions from Mansbridge. Iggy is still going on about "Harper has lost the confidence of the house of commons". What a bunch of crap. First of all the last I heard was that the Conservative members are part of the house of commons (the largest part) and he certainly hasn't lost their confidence. And further more there is only one point at which any government can lose the confidence of the house, and that's when they actually vote on a matter of confidence. Up until that point anything Iggy (or even Layton or Duceppe for that matter) say relative to "confidence" is just outright BS IMO.

Nab

[Phoenix Within]

Isn't the Conservatives also a good chunk ahead of the Libs in the polls? Does Iggy really think an election is a good thing being the losing horse?

[NAB]

Well, there appears to be no escaping an election now, in fact it appears to me the campaign has already started. It matters not whether the government falls on the budget or on some other lame ethics or other excuse, Harper and his Conservatives are having their way (IMO) and the Liberals have fallen solidly into the trap. The unfortunate part of all this is they (as well as Layton) have taken a page out of the Book of BC politics and made it a fight between "Business" and "The Socialist Hordes" over where our surplus riches (that we don't have) will be spent. In hindsight, I think a spring election was a sure thing back in February when the polls hit Conservative Majority territory.

When I listened to Iggy and Layton this morning, it is abundantly clear to me that, from their words and their attitudes, they are confident they can pull it off through a campaign based largely on emotion and promises of massive social spending, something Conservatives are generally not very good at. And ya know what? ...they just might! It depends very much (again IMO) on where the typical NDP and Green voters go. Will they keep flogging that tiring old horse? Or will they support a Liberal party that has moved far left and actually has a chance to be able to deliver on their socialist ideals?

One thing is sure, for those who think a Liberal win would deliver any significant change overnight, or even within 2 or 3 years, they had better think again. Except perhaps for a quick increase in consumption and Income taxes for individuals, perhaps even for businesses. To me it's just too bad that if they do win, we will have Ignatieff for PM. But I suspect the USA at least will find some pleasure in that.

Edit to add: There is still one thing that could potentially ward off an election though, although unlikely it would happen as I believe Harper actually wants this election, in spite of what he says to the contrary.

Nab

[I dunno]

Let's see, the Liberals just chose a new leader and the NDP is next. Then a referendum on HST and maybe Christie going to the polls after that. Then we get a federal election and for sure a municipal election. I'm not sure, but I am going to be politic'd out by the end of the year. And the sad part is, nothing is going to change!

[NAB]

In the budget thread I attempted to get a grip on the timeline of the next few days, anticipating that the budget vote would be tomorrow and, if the government fell on that the vote on the contempt of parliament resolution on Friday would not happen (to Harpers benefit). The opposition would obviously prefer however to see the government fall on the contempt charge, rather than on the budget, which would have meant they would have to support the budget to get there.

Now it appears, through some sort of machinations, the opposition has managed to stall the budget vote until Monday at the earliest, thus they can avoid even voting on it if their effort on Friday to bring the government down on the ethics question is successful. That appears to move the Liberals closer to the drivers seat going into an election rather than PM Harper.

But Canadians do seem to like supporting the apparent underdog LOL, and this move could give Harper the edge in that department. And if they go for a 45 or 46 day campaign instead of a regular length one, it could well wear Iggy down. And when Iggy gets worn down he tends to get out of control and make major mistakes.

Nab

[GordonH]

This could be funny, not that would/could happen but protest vote that puts Jack as PM........

[BGV666]

I think the whole idea of the opposition forcing an election is ridiculous. All the fighting and bitching about election spending and changing a word on an order is stupid (Ode). Canada came out of the recession on top of the world, not because of Harper but because of the caution of the minority government. I say we boycott the opposition parties by forcing another $300 million dollar election down our throats. I would bet if you polled 1000 people in any constituancy in Canada wether PC, Liberal, PQ or NDP the public would tell you leave it alone we don't want another election now, get back to the real work of running the country.

[Urbane]

If the choice comes down to a Conservative majority with Harper as PM or an Ignatieff led coalition government which would you prefer? I wonder what cabinet post Layton would hold in a coalition government? Minister of Finance? Maybe Duceppe would be included as well. He could be responsible for negotiating with Quebec on the HST money and other projects. We may well be in for some interesting times.

[NAB]

LOL BVG.. Don't try to tell modern policians what we want. They believe it is up to them to tell us what we want. ;-) How many times lately have you heard Ignatieff or Layton say something to the affect "Canadians want this" or "Canadians don't want that" etc. ? They don't know what Canadians do or don't want of course until an election based on what is offered Canadians, not what is desired by Canadians. It's all a political scam IMO, and the best scammer wins.

Nab

[Glacier]

Before we complain about a pending federal election, think of Libya .... Suddenly democracy isn't as expensive or messy as it seems.

[WhatThe]

I have to agree with you Nab that the opposition is falling into a Tory trap. I havent read the budget but listening, and specifically to flaherty, an election is exactly what the tories want. I can't stand Harper and would love to see this backfire but I'm pretty choked about the games all parties play.