Two fuses are burning here. It would be prudent for Stephen Harper to force a federal election before either flame reaches its explosive charge.
One fuse is connected to the Conservative economic action plan, the other to Afghanistan. Both threaten to end the fine times the Prime Minister currently enjoys.
It requires a triumph of optimism over experience to expect that this or any other federal government could spend $61 billion over two years without something going horribly wrong. Even if the ever-present threat of corruption is managed, spending that much this fast is certain to lead first to project waste and then to political embarrassment.
Trouble is already on the way. Almost daily reports that the ruling party is favouring ridings it holds now and those it hopes to win soon mask deeper problems. Conservatives either don’t know or won’t say precisely how all those taxpayer dollars are being spent.
Call it confusion or obfuscation, Ottawa’s lack of transparency contrasts sharply with Washington’s openness. Up here, not even the federal budget watchdog can follow the money. Down there, where the Barack Obama administration is shovelling a stunning $787 billion into a deep-hole economy, anyone with a laptop can reassure themselves public funds are buying more than political advantage.
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Notes:
Jim Travers thinks Harper should force an election now. I don’t agree and I wonder what he was smoking when he wrote this column.
Jim Travesty knows the Conservatives would bear the brunt of an angry electorate if Harper dropped the writ. Who would benefit from such a scenario? Only the media.
Jim also knows, (I think:) that if the PM waits till the libs really goof up and he gets a majority, many in the media will have to go to re-education classes or lose their jobs.
A suggestion for PM Harper: What ever Jim suggests – DO THE OPPOSITE!!!!!
I thought opportunistic election calls were a Liberal thing and that under a Harper government fixed date legislation would put an end to that sort of manipulation for purely partisan gain — oh… wait… that one didn’t hold water either did it…..
Canadian voters will punish whoever forces an election at this point. If the Liberals force an election then Harper will likely emerge with a majority (which is why they haven’t done it). But if Harper forces one he’ll end up with a smaller minority – ultimately giving more power to the Bloc and NDP.
I wonder if this minority government has a shelf-life? Harper’s first minority was one of the longest in Canadian history which is particularly impressive since it was largest seat deficit. Mackenzie King’s first minority was longer but he lacked on 3 seats whereas Harper lacked 30. Even given the growth in populations and seats, that’s a stark difference.
Now, lacking on 12 seats, it’s much easier for the Conservatives to move forward. None of the opposition parties want an election for their own reasons. Within reason, as long as Harper remains PM, the less viable the “Scary Harper” meme gets and the more ridiculous the “Extreme Right Wing” claims sound. If the Conservatives can push this one to the full term, the voters might just reward them…
The only way we are going to see an election is if we see a successful non confidence vote, or defeat of a money bill. Since the oppositions fortunes do not all rise at the same time – while an election might be beneficial for one or two of the opposition partys it wont be for the third – we are not going to see the opposition acting in concert with one another to defeat the Conservatives.
Trying a coalition stunt again would completely destroy the opposition, so that wont happen, and Harper outright pulling the plug on Parliament (I dont think he can) would be equally damaging for the Conservatives.
So we are back to where we were prior to the attempted sedition coalition. Harper has a minority that he can wield almost like a majority, and he will always have support of one of the opposition parties to pass his legislation, which makes it bi partisan – which makes it alot tougher for the media to criticize.
Pretty good position to be in in my opinion. No wonder Traverse is wanting an election.
I agree with you, Joe.
As to Jim T’s blatant stating as ‘fact’ that the Conservatives are ‘favoring’ Conservative ridings – that poor fool should look into the millions that have poured into the Yukon (a Liberano riding – Larry bagnel is the M.P.). This year the Feds gave the Yukon masses of money to build a road to Mayo and fubd a hydro project in the Mayo district. The Yukon is supposed to match the funds given to the Yukon gument by the Feds but the Premier of the Yukon – an ex dipper masquerading as a conservative – has been bogged down in a scandal involving selling the Yukon share of the project to ATCO (an Alta electrical co – that has sold it’s billing branch to the corrupt Direct Energy) without the knowledge of his then energy minister (that honorable M.P., Mr. Brad Cathers has since resigned and is sitting as an independent) and the citizens of the Yukon.
The Yukon is peopled with gument workers so they are not squawking….but the people paying the bills up here should be…the Yukon does not produce anything, it could have produced energy (as was the P.M.s plan) but our corrupt Premier has already ‘sold’ that asset. Not a peep from Bagnel, which leads any thinking person to ask why? , since they are not on the same political ‘team’ – or the ‘opposition’ Liberanos/Dippers….did I mention that Fentie was a former Dipper and it was Fentie’s batch of Dippers who sold Yukon Electric ( the billing branch of Whitehorse electrical billing – Fentie is attempting to sell Yukon Energy the production branch of Yukon hydro to Direct Energy (ATCO)).
So that blows your little ‘fact’ to bits, Jimmy T.;
@ward (The only way we are going to see an election is if we see a successful non confidence vote…): That’s what Harpers fixed election date legislation was supposed to ensure, but he himself put the boots to that idea didn’t he?
@Jema54 (As to Jim T’s blatant stating as ‘fact’ that the Conservatives are ‘favoring’ Conservative ridings): It is a fact, over 50% of the stimulus money went to Conservative ridings – and they hold way less than 50% of Canadian ridings.
Heres a question for you stageleft.
How many Liberals (Liberal ridings) who applied for stimulus funds were refused?
Stage: Only when viewed through the lefty prism.
Well gosh golly gee Lee…. don’t I feel like the silly goose now. I mean really, I should have just called up the government and asked that sort of thing before I said anything shouldn’t I?
And I’m sure they’d tell me, and anyone else who asked, everything we wanted to know about that wouldn’t they?
Since you’re so very much wiser than I in this respect maybe you could send me an email and point me to the helpful government agency or person who will tell me how many applications were received from each riding, what they were for, and what the dollar amounts requested were, so that I can begin my research – it will be a long and arduous task I’m sure, and I’m equally sure the people on the other end will be ever so helpful, but it will be a worthy penance for my silliness don’t you think?
–sheesh…….
I get your point Stageleft.-
You dont know squat.
If Travers is going to spew this tripe, should he not be made to wear a “scarlet letter”?