Sunday, December 14, 2008

Coalition thoughts

The coalition does not have a lot of traction among voters. That said, as a club to keep the Conservatives in line, the coalition is very useful.

In fact, what might be very productive could be to maintain the coalition but not necessarily to bring down the government. The Liberal/NDP alliance could review, together, the Conservative budget. If the budget is satisfactory, the coalition could support it, as a coalition.

If not then the coalition could defeat the government and try to form a government.

Layton says he understands Ignatieff's caution on coalition 1 hour ago OTTAWA — NDP Leader Jack Layton says he understands why new Liberal chief Michael Ignatieff is being cautious about toppling Stephen Harper when Parliament resumes next month.

Layton told CTV's "Question Period" it's reasonable for Ignatieff to want to assess the situation and see what Harper's Conservatives will offer in a budget promised for Jan. 27.

Ignatieff, who will formally take over the Liberal leadership this week, has said he's ready to vote non-confidence in the Tories if he has to. But he's also said he won't make any final decisions until he sees the budget. That has prompted speculation he could pull out of the deal negotiated by predecessor Stephane Dion to bring down the Tories and install a Liberal-NDP coalition cabinet propped up by the Bloc Quebecois.

Layton insisted the coalition remains a realistic alternative government, and said he's not optimistic Harper can deliver a budget that will win the confidence of the opposition parties.

But the NDP leader tempered his remarks by saying this is "the season of miracles" and he can't rule out the possibility Harper will pull one off.
James Morton
1100 - 5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Morton....U are not really believing Ipsos polls ....they are trying to scare Iggy off from bringing down their beloved Steve////nobody believes Daryl Bricker or his nonsense...Coalition is ok...Iggy cannot go into GG and say to her I want to take over without listening to what Steve has to offer....he has to listen to the spiel and then tell GG...its NOT on....

Anonymous said...

The problem is this particular club will cause the user more damange than the victims. Canadians have spoken loudly and clearly; they rejected not only the use of, but the actual existance of, this "club". The longer Liberals play around with this descredited idea, the more they tie themselves to it; playing a now-you-see-it, now-you-don't game will get people more disgusted and angry. There is going to be an election sooner or later. If the Liberals don't totally and publically distance themselves from this concept now, there will only be two choices in the next election - Conservatives and Coalition, pick one - do Liberals really think they would win that race?

Anonymous said...

I certainly do think they can win....you are again following the bullshit of Daryl Bricker or other conservative pollsters...I am in the grit with the oldies and the goldies and they are all different shapes and sizes and they are all saying the same thing....Yeah Coalition....gramps

Anonymous said...

Harper (being Harper) has as his number 1 priority, Stephen Harper. His focus is entirely upon how stable the coalition really is. If he gets what he thinks is a sniff of weakness in the coalition he will do the predictable Harper and defy them.