OTTAWA – NDP Leader Jack Layton dialed down election rhetoric today saying he would rather make Parliament work.
“I’m prepared to fight an election if it comes to it … but I would rather be in that House of Common working with people from other political parties on behalf of the people who sent us here just 11 months ago,” Layton told a press conference attended by NDP MPs and staff.
“We will make sure that parliament works,” said Layton, whose party has often bragged that it has opposed the Conservative government on 79 occasions since the January 2006 election.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has promised to bring down the minority Parliament at the earliest possible opportunity, saying the Grits can no longer support Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government.
Layton’s offer of an olive branch paves the way for supporting the minority Conservative government, which is to announce today proposed changes to Employment Insurance, including making it easier for unemployed Canadians to qualify and improving benefits for older workers.
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See Also:
Friday confidence vote could topple government
Updates:
4:17 pm EDT, September 14th, 2009 – Tories forming coalition with NDP, Ignatieff says
4:40 pm EDT, September 14th, 2009 — The new, insufferable Ignatieff. Arrogance personified
4:49 pm EDT, September 14th, 2009 — The “Black Knight” re-appears:
“Warren Kinsella, a former senior Liberal Cabinet staffer who played a key role in the 1993, 1997 and 2000 federal election campaigns, will head the war room, but will work as a campaign volunteer. Pollster Michael Marzolini will serve as the official pollster for the Party.”
Notes:
Isn’t this exciting? It’s kinda like watching paint dry.
Translated that means. “I would prefer that some of my party MP’s retain their current employment. I’m not prepared to allow the ranks of the unemployed to be increased by 15 to 20 NDP MPs”
mid island mike
Layton is like the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. What a self-important deluded weiner.
Like I said. Watching paint dry is far more exciting than seeing this. I note that Harper scheduled the “confidence vote” for Friday — LATE. That gives all Liberal MP’s who DON’T agree with their esteemed leader a reasonable excuse to bugger off.
He’s a sly dog our PM .
What time did Chretain schedule a vote, after everyone had left the HofC. And how many votes of N/C did Martin ignore.
That’s one possible translation mike, but there’s another one I think that’s far more likely….. “Me and Steve cut a deal“.
Count Iggy is truly pathetic. I didn’t realize how pathetic until watching the CTV link which Jack posted.
Maybe all the politicians are starting to hear the anger of the electorate on the talk shows etc. They may be starting to realize the danger of being held to blame for causing another election. That would be a positive although unprecedented thing. Imagine, politicians listening to the electorate. What a novel idea. To bad their hides have to be on the line before their hearing improves.
mid island mike
Stage: Pick a position for goodness sakes, if the big Meanie Harper doesnt make deals you and yours criticize, if he does make a (imaginary) deal, you criticize. Honestly, you’re just looking foolish.
My guess is that the opposition which tried to ride the coattails of Obama are realizing that that train is currently going of the rails so it is not looking particularly expedient now to try to co-opt the Obama admins tactics. Layton was the first to blink, nothing more. No deal other than Jack trying to save his own skin.
If well played Layton can over the coming months built up his ” reputation ” of being ” THE ONE ” making Parliament work and although this would have little chance of hurting Harper, in that we don’t really have to worry about an NDP Majority Government, Layton and the NDP gaining strength would be eating Ignatieff’s lunch with the NDP positioned to become the ” Official Opposition ” in the next election: A much more realistic goal for the NDP than trying to actually form the Government !
Over decades and with new leadership even an NDP Government might be possible if they take the Liberal’s place by moving a bit to the right with pragmatic policies: At least this might be a credible longterm plan for the NDP with the sort term plan being ” survival ” and maybe more MPs than the Liberals at the next election even if it means a possible Conservative majority ?
Not saying that the above is true, only that it’s a plausible scenario.
For the Conservatives a strong NDP combined with a weak Liberal Party would be very advantageous ! In the mean time an NDP giving support to the Minority Government is workable as long as policies are crafted to be marginally acceptable to the NDP while not making stupid or insane compromises with principles: I think there can be some policies that can be Left/Right ideologically neutral and be sound and logical policies that would be popular with the voting public.
A strong NDP and a weakened Liberal Party in Canada! Watch Bob Rae switch back to the NDP to take over the Leadership.
Maybe Ignatieff can at the same time switch to the NDP or maybe go to the Greens or go back home to Harvard. LOL WTF
Layton could try for mayor of Toronto if he loses his job ? ( I’m just being mean to any Toronto Conservatives here ! Meant as a joke so don’t take offence I don’t want to go to Toronto bashing as I’m in a Montreal riding where the only choices that have a chance of winning are the Liberal candidate ( Young Trudeau ) or a Block candidate ….. so, I’m in the same position as a Conservative in a very lefty Toronto riding that would only vote NDP or LIberal ! AAAAARG …. ).
Well done Jack, how about a seat in the Senate as a reward for joining the RIGHT side since your days as ndp leader are probably numbered.
Iggy is an academic intellect, he’s bored with the minutia of Parliament. He’s come to the Trudeau conclusion that even his own MPs are boring and nobodies when off Parliament Hill. Iggy assumed the Natural Governing Party would make him a shoe-in for PM in no time. But he neglected to notice the renaissance of conservatives in Canada and that the Liberals would actually have to stand for something other than being a “force for good”, which still works in Toronto.
Therefore Iggy will do what he can to cause an election and get himself fired and sent back to Harvard or maybe PMSH will give him a sweet diplomatic posting .. Canadian Ambassador in Baghdad where he can mess around in Mesopotamia.
@ward: You’ve obviously got me confused with someone else ward, I’ve said on a couple of different occassions (even on this very site I believe) that Harpers manipulation of the other parties and the House has actually be quite masterful at times.
IMO it is only the foolish hyper-partisan set who actually believe, contrary to statements by both Harper & Layton, that no deal has been struck in keeping the government alive – the NDP got something.
If you consider the NDPs ”we were the real opposition while the Liberals propped up the government“ line it seems fairly obvious that something is up, something that leads to the questions:
* In the face of what looks fairly obvious how long can the Harper government get away with the “there were/will be no backroom deals“, and
* How long can Layton get away with the “we are getting things done for Canadians” line before his base starts strongly questioning why he is propping up a minority government and starts complaining.
Lets just keep in mind that two weeks ago an election seemed inevitable, now it seems unlikely short term and we might get through 2009 without one.
Spring election ? Maybe ? We could just go from month to month thinking an election is a heartbeat away and actually get to the end of the mandate ?
Lets say that in a few months the NDP is at 25% in the polls the Liberals at 26 % and the Conservatives averaging the usual 33 % to 39 % the NDP might decide to stop supporting the Conservatives but then the panicky Liberals support the Conservatives.
Another scenario Ignatieff gets bored and quits and the Liberals have to choose a new leader the Liberals drop to 22% the NDP rockets up to 29 % the conservatives are at 40 % and the Block is down in Québec because of the Conservatives getting popular again …. Oh, and the recession is officially over ! Anyway, I don’t think I can even imagine all the permutations including those I wouldn’t like withy the conservatives at below 30% the NDP at 30% and the Liberals at 30% and the BLOCK at 10% Nationally but at 50 % in Quebec: Now that could really be interesting and create a real pizza Parliament.
So speculations can be fun and one can try to figure out various scenarios but the Future isn’t something we can predict with very much accuracy. LOL ( Too many unpredictable variables ).
Weighing in here. When we see Don Martin throw in the towel we know it’s all over until the Libs figure out that Iggy doesn’t have the magic. That may take them some time because political firings must be carefully planned.
Here’s Don’s column:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1993883
I think we’re good until spring. Perhaps much longer as “naked bobbie” takes over the helm and I can declare the Liberal Party of Canada deceased (Liberals = NDP in drag). It’s far past time these shysters came out of the closet.
the NDP got something.
Yeah, they sure did. Layton got to keep the seat he’s got now, many of which he knows he’ll lose if there’s an election. It’s that simple, no Conservative conspiracies IMO stageleft. Even Layton can recognize common sense, as long as it is spelled out for him.
OK Stage, perhaps I missed those so fair enough.
I think we are seeing precisely the same dynamic that was occurring last year. Opposition parties are hamstrung. The ascendency of one comes at the expense of another, so they will never be willing to work together to topple the Conservatives.
Their only way around this little conundrum was to attempt to sidestep the electorate and install themselves directly into power.
The only way they could try to pull that move off was to do it right after the last election, so as to justify the unprecedented action.
Now it is a year later, and should the opposition defeat the Conservatives on a confidence measure, there is zero reason for them not to face the electorate.
So now we are right back to where we were prior to the last election, with Harper holding all the cards. Might as well be a majority.
Lawyers can argue with me about this but here is my understanding of the Govenor Generals powers. She can do whatever she wants thanks to the Charter BUT if she does go against the PM he can fire her with a phone call and replace her. Thanks also to the Charter built by Liberals.
Have you got that?
If you have, hang onto it because it’s important.
I wonder how many MP’s qualify for their ‘gold plated pensions’ with the government staying in power until the spring?
Don’t know and I don’t care. If they want to follow “his Iggyness” it will be their funeral.
@Jack: I’m afraid that you wouldn’t have to be a lawyer to respond to your comment.
The GG cannot do whatever (in this case) she wants, the GG is constrained by Canadian law, the Constitution, history and precedent. The GG cannot arbitrarily dissolve parliament, cannot arbitrarily call an election, cannot arbitrarily tell the PM to pack his bags and leave, cannot arbitrarily remove the PM from power and install someone else, and cannot arbitrarily decide that the party in power is a failure and enter into discussions with the Opposition and see if they can pull something together, and (more is the great pity) cannot tell parliament to quit acting like the bunch of spoiled brats they ares or she’ll send them to far off corners in Rideau Hall until such time as they can act like reasonable and responsible Canadian adults.
The GG serves at the pleasure of the Queen for (usually) a period of five years, and the PM cannot “make a phone call and have her fired” for disagreeing with him or “going against him” — as a matter of fact the position is specifically designed to prevent that sort of partisan abuse of power.
For the PM to even consider removing the GG from office something a heck of a lot more serious than disagreeing with the advice of the PM would have to happen – and I’m really not sure that you, or anyone else, would really want do deal with the fall out of the Constitutional crisis that would arise should a sitting PM attempt to do that.
I remember not so long ago a bunch of hyper-partisans raking the GG over the coals because they all assumed that M. Jean would refuse to allow Harper to prorogue parliament in order avoid an election and retain power…. she didn’t reject his advice and all of a sudden many of those same people thought she was a wonderful example of all that is good and right about Canada.
– now it’s starting all over again and should the government fall and she (as is within her right and duty) offer the Opposition the opportunity to see if they could form a government — exactly as Stephen Harper said she should consider doing in a letter to her signed by himself, the leader of the NDP, and the leader of the Bloc, in 2004 – the people who once praised her for saying she did the right thing will turn on her like a pack of wolves.
As distressful as some may find it one of the GGs tasks, within the constraints noted above, is to be responsible for continuous and stable government — and it just may be that should the government fall she will take the Stephen Harpers current advice to parliament that the Canadian public does not want or need another election so soon after the last one, and offer the Liberals (as the official Opposition) the opportunity to see if they can pull something together to prevent that.
Remember how I predicted Duceppe would “blink” first in the game of election chicken?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-wins-reprieve/article1288458/
The next blink will be Jumping Jack Layton… and when Count Iggy introduces a non-confidence vote, the Liberals might just be standing alone, looking like the bunch of knobs that they are…
Stage you said: “exactly as Stephen Harper said she should consider doing in a letter to her signed by himself, the leader of the NDP, and the leader of the Bloc, in 2004″
Please find me the quote that validates the above Stage. Study the King Byng affair and I think you will find that Harper was not requesting to be installed in power but asking the GG to deny Martin the opportunity to call another election 2 1/2 months after the last election. That is the historical precedent in this case.
The GGs refusal to grant the sedition coalition power was more of a result of the swift and furious backlash of the Canadian electorate in my opinion. Had Canadians yawned and ignored the attempt to have their voices circumvented, I sincerely beleive that Jean would have granted their request.
@ward: ask and ye shall receive
From the September 9, 2004 letter signed by Stephen Harper, Gilles Duceppe, and Jack Layton to the GG of the day (M. Clarkson)
There would be a heck of a lot of mental and verbal gymnastics involved in making that paragraph say anything other than “me and Gilles and Jack have been talking, and since we collectively hold the majority of seats in the House you should consider asking me to see if I can put something together with the Bloc and the NDP if the Liberals fall“.
You can find a copy of the full letter here.
Re: Had Canadians yawned and ignored the attempt to have their voices circumvented…..
My dear ward, the Canadian voice you speak of gave the CPoC the greatest minority of votes, the majority voted for others. If Harper had achieved a majority of the popular vote, or even a majority of seats in the House, that statement might make sense, but, like the last Liberal government, he got neither.
I am curious though…… , when the Opposition brought down the last Liberal minority government should we consider that ‘ the will of the people ‘ was circumvented — or is that something completely different?
Dang Jack …. another comment in moderation – and it only had one link it in.
No mental gymnastics required Stage. Rather you need to really squint hard and twist this quote around to make it say what you want to say.
Do your homework on the King Byng affair and you will understand what it was that Harper was saying. He was not saying install me into power.
Also, you are so incredibly wilfully dishonest stage. Virtually every majority government we have had with the exception of Mulroneys in 1984 win has come with less than a simple majority – most often in the low 40′s of popular votes, so with that exception no government has represented with will of the people according to you.
Trying to sell a defeat of a minority government which leads to an election as the same as the planned overthrow of a minority governement then circumventing the electorate right to vote on whether they agreed with your actions is a joke.
I dont think you are even trying to make a valid point, but are just trying to sow seeds of confusion.
@ward: You just keep telling yourself (re: Harpers letter to the GG) that ward, it’s definitely a novel point of view.
Re: Mulroney’s majority ….. do your homework before you call me “incredibly willfully dishonest“. I’m pretty darned sure I have used Mulroney as the last example of a legitimate government on this very site in the past, I have used it on my own site, as well as on others sites in discussing electoral reform, and bringing it up on a Liberal site some time back got me told by the owner not to bother coming back with that sort of Conservative talk….. hyper-partisans come in all strips don’t ‘cha know.
Re: “…. with that exception no government has represented with will of the people according to you.“
Correct.
Re: “I dont think you are even trying to make a valid point, but are just trying to sow seeds of confusion.“
Incorrect, I want you (and everyone else in Canada) to stop and consider whether or not the electoral system we have in its current form is actually capable of representing “the will of the people”. I want you (and everyone else in Canada) to stop and consider whether or not the central control government model we have is worth keeping given that when the Liberals are in power the west is unhappy and when the Conservatives are in power Central Canada is unhappy, while the rest of the country are essentially only bit players in the process.
And Ultimately what I want is you (and everyone else in Canada) to put aside their petty, unhelpful, counter productive, and divisive federal party hyper-partisanship and rhetoric and consider significant system reform that sees more power in the hands of the provinces and regions that in the hands of the federal government so that power becomes far more local than it currently is.
…. and if you had bothered to do your homework on me before you decided that I was simply another Liberal unhappy with his lot because the Conservatives are in power you would know that – because gods know I have said it enough times.