Canadian Constitutional crisis

MrBishop

MrBishop

Well-Known Member
So...just in case you all thought that Canada was boring, we get the newest saga in our political spectrum.

7 weeks ago, we went to the polls again because the then running Prime Minister (PM) thought that the parliament wasn't running well at all. He had a minority GVT and wanted a majority one. So off we went to the booths and gave him a slightly bigger minority (Goodbye $300M). Now, with political posters still languishing on some poles, Mr Harper (The PM) releases an economic update along with a few slaps in the faces of the 3 opposition parties. The budget update is a joke to say the least.

So the house can go for a vote of 'non confidence', and send us back to teh polls and probably giving the standing PM another minority GVT...or they can try something new.

Perfectly legal but never tried before, two out of the three parties (with support by the third) formed a co-olition, planned on voting for non-confidence (Monday coming) and planned on asking the Governor General (GG) to appoint the new co-olition GVT as the new Minority power without going to the polls again.

Pisses off a lot of people on all sides of the aisle..but there you go. Change of power without an election. Yesterday we heard from both sides of the issue. Today, the PM went to the GG and asked that Parliament get put on 'pause' (prorogue) until January..effectively delaying the vote of non-confidence until then. All the Parliamentarians get a long vacation.

Interesting, no? To top it all off, instead of playing a 'race card', the PM played the 'sovereignty card' - using the third party's (Bloq Quebecois) separatist leanings to inflame the issue even further..using/paraphrasing Bush's favorite line "You're either with us or against us" *Us, being Canada in this case.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2008/12/04/harper-jean.html?ref=rss
 
Interesting, no? To top it all off, instead of playing a 'race card', the PM played the 'sovereignty card' - using the third party's
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that is unusal for such a hot topic, most people beg for their votes.
 
Wow, that's interesting and a bit confusing.

What would you like to see happen Bish?
 
I don't like the idea of a change of power taken sans-vote. I, on the other hand, see no other way around it. The current PM is releasing union-busting laws and others that go against pay equity. His budget is too weak and at the same time hits several wrong notes fiscally. In addition, he's planning on changing how political parties gain money to run..effectively bankrupting his opposition.

He's running the minority power as if it's a majority and not listening to the official opposition or the public on anything. He's got to be slapped down for it...that's democracy for you.

The oppositions' hands are tied. Although I don't like what's happening..I don't see an alternative that would be both respectful of the public's opinion AND fiscally responsible.
 
What's likely to happen is that Parliament opens on the 26th of January. The PM will release the official budget and get a vote of non-confidence regardless of what changes he may have implemented in the next 7 weeks until then.

In the meanwhile, the sitting PM and the 3 opposition parties will be sniping at each other. The PM played his hand wrong. He may have to stand down entirely in order to save his GVTs position of power.
 
Boring... :silly:

So... will it be Frogs legs at Dawn or a rousing Chorus of God Save the Queen, you reckon?


What's with the French anyway? Napolean did one good thing.... Brandy.

and like most frenchmen you dont need to ask where his other hand really was... :D
 
MrBishop said:
I don't like the idea of a change of power taken sans-vote. I, on the other hand, see no other way around it. The current PM is releasing union-busting laws and others that go against pay equity. His budget is too weak and at the same time hits several wrong notes fiscally. In addition, he's planning on changing how political parties gain money to run..effectively bankrupting his opposition.

He's running the minority power as if it's a majority and not listening to the official opposition or the public on anything. He's got to be slapped down for it...that's democracy for you.

The oppositions' hands are tied. Although I don't like what's happening..I don't see an alternative that would be both respectful of the public's opinion AND fiscally responsible.
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It is a tricky situation, and there is no precedent for it. While the current PM is sucking, the other parties are trying a hostile take-over, basically negating the way people voted.

I thing we will be at the polls again in february.
 
paul_valaru said:
It is a tricky situation, and there is no precedent for it. While the current PM is sucking, the other parties are trying a hostile take-over, basically negating the way people voted.

I thing we will be at the polls again in february.
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Not if the co-olition can help it. If they're running as individual parties for an election, they'll lose again. They'd have to dissolve the NDP into the Liberal house and even then..might not have enough to out-elect Harper.
 
BB said:
Boring... :silly:

So... will it be Frogs legs at Dawn or a rousing Chorus of God Save the Queen, you reckon?


What's with the French anyway? Napolean did one good thing.... Brandy.

and like most frenchmen you dont need to ask where his other hand really was... :D
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The only Queens allowed in Quebec work the corners of Ste. Catherine street and St. Denis. Doubt you'll find a rendition of GSTQ... if we knew the lines, that is. ;)

Maybe a nice game of pick-up hockey 'tween teh PMs
 
The real fallout now is the government is closed for business, meaning if the big 3 automakers (they all have plants in canada) need something to stay in Canada, we can't do anything.
 
Nah...Harper retains power...he acn still push things through, though somewhat limited in scope. I don't think we'll all crash and burn in 7 weeks.
 
MrBishop said:
The only Queens allowed in Quebec work the corners of Ste. Catherine street and St. Denis. Doubt you'll find a rendition of GSTQ... if we knew the lines, that is. ;)

Maybe a nice game of pick-up hockey 'tween teh PMs
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I've always said ol Bish was well informed on matters of Canada... including Drag queens jay-walking it seems :rofl:
 
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