Liberals survive confidence votes (Canada)

[Canadian Socialist]

Last Updated Wed, 15 Jun 2005 08:42:45 EDT
CBC News

The federal Liberals remain in power after being tested in a series of late night confidence votes that could have toppled the minority government.

The government survived 16 votes in the House of Commons, including a bill to approve the government's main budget, money to run government departments, and two votes on funding for the controversial gun registry.
Speaker tallies one of many votes.

A defeat on any of the votes would have brought down the government and forced an election.
<snip>
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/06/15/newconfidence050615.html

Thank goodness. I sure don't want an election in July or August. I just hope Harper doesn't resign. He's the best thing that ever happened to the NDP & the Liberals. Heee.

[getmeouttahere]

1. Woo hoo!!!!

Canadians are so much smarter, as a whole...we didn't need another conservative govt in North America!

[Cha]

2. Happy for you, Canada!

At least there's a semblance of sanity so close to home!

[Spazito]

3. I had to laugh, the faux Cons were terrified of any possibility

that the government might fall and had made plans to pull some of their members out of the chamber if needed to ensure the Libs would win the vote. Oh, the sea change since Harper's poll numbers and that of the faux Cons have plummeted, they know they would be blamed for a summer election and hammered at the voting booth for it.

It is positively delicious!

[Hand]

6. BWAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

This is OUTSTANDING! What a bunch of sniveling, incompetent morans! Hey, Harper, that flapping noise is yer hope of becoming PM sprouting wings and flying away...

:rofl:

That arsehole O'Brien isn't reaping any big PR out of this, either... :evilgrin:

[Jack Rabbit]

4. No elections until after the Gomery Report

They should be held around January.

By that time, the Liberals and New Democrats should be in better shape vis a vis the Conservatives than they were a short time ago.

[Bassic]

5. Here's hoping that report will help the NDP in the votes.

I personnally think the liberals need to sit the next one out, they've been acting to much like mandarins to my liking. So The NDP is the only other logical choice.

[getmeouttahere]

7. Is B.C. the NDP stronghold?

[Spazito]

8. Unfortunately not, there are pockets of strong support but

B.C., federally, leans right. The NDP won 5 seats in the last election, the Libs won 8 and the faux Cons won 22. It is my hope we can reduce the faux Cons numbers and increase the NDPs by at least a couple but it will be a hard fight.

[getmeouttahere]

9. That's a real shocker for me....

didn't they have an NDP premier, either currently or recently? Wow, I always thought of B.C. as the lone liberal province in the "west" but perhaps that title belongs to Manitoba?

[Kagemusha]

10. I think they had an NDP premier of notorious bad governance

There's been a few like that in Canadian history. But, I'm going by very vague memory here. It's not the principles behind the NDP, but people are very leery of their capacity for governance. (Then again their competition is weaker than usual.)

[Hand]

12. Yep... Glen Clark

His government was riddled with various kinds of low-level corruption--no real jaw-droppers, just things like (allegedly) accepting free deck construction from a company that did govt. business, etc. It gave them a bad odor.

The previous Social Credit government was a gang of slimy, incompetent crooks, as I recall. Unfortunately, a lot of the same people then proceeded to join the (so-called) BC Liberals and formed the current government (which someone I know who lives there has described as "fascist".)

Canadian provincial politics can be extremely confusing--provincial parties of the same name vary enormously in competence, ideology, etc., some major parties don't even exist in certain provinces, and elsewhere they appear under a different name... gad. You can even catch TV ads for the Communist party and wonder why they seem to be to the right of the NDP.

:silly:

[MisterP]

14. like "Liberal" neocon Campbell

and don't forget the boozing!

[Hand]

16. Heh heh...

I was about to write my BC acquaintance and describe Campbell as "a sober Ralph Klein" when that one broke! :rofl:

[MisterP]

17. ha, so much for that!

[David__77]

11. Push the marrige legislation now!

I'm tired of the foot-dragging on marriage equality. They must federalize marriage equality as soon as possible.

[Hand]

13. This would be a good idea

It would almost certainly go through quickly and painlessly. Better yet, it would require kicking Harper while he's down. That would be enjoyable. :evilgrin:

[Canadian Socialist]

15. From CBC today, this is very funny!

Coming soon to a barbecue near you: A warmer, funnier Stephen Harper

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/06/15/harper-image050615.html

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper will hit the festival and barbecue circuit across Canada this summer to persuade voters he's a nice, warm guy with a good sense of humour.

It's part of a tactical plan to improve the 46-year-old politician's image and thus attract more votes in the next election.

"We could be in a campaign sooner rather than later," Harper said Wednesday as he left a caucus meeting in Ottawa. "We don't have time to navel-gaze here.
<snip>
Prime Minister Paul Martin, who has often battled his own waistline, took some time out in Question Period to offer advice to his political enemy.

"I understand the dangers of the barbecue circuit, and I would therefore like to table this document for the benefit of the Leader of the Opposition," he told the House of Commons.

"It's called The South Beach Diet."

Who want's to bet Stevie will be at the Stampede, flipping some pancakes?

[daleo]

18. I think the Supreme Court ruling on health care will hurt Harper as well.

Although Harper wasn't by any means responsible for the decision, he is the one most closely identified with privatizing health care. The population will want to show their solidarity with public health care, and one way to do this will be to spurn Harper. Harper won't want an election for quite a while.