Paul Martin to step down as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[HuffleClaw]

link to follow. (from live concession speech)

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canadavotes2006/national/2006/01/23/mainelecstory060123.html

"...Liberal Leader Paul Martin said he was stepping down as leader."

[msongs]

1. have the fascists won the election & canada is going neocon? ugh nt

[Brundle_Fly]

2. Hardly.

The Pukes here won a Minority Government. They will be voted out pretty quick.

Martin is 67, I think he is tired.

[ClusterFreak]

3. Naw...

Minority government....Harper's Conservatives on a short leash. Not to worry.

[mazzarro]

14. Maybe you should not bet on it!

The same was said of b** in 2000 with controversial election and the rethugs found a way to bulldoze their way through and impose their agenda on the country. Same thing may happen in Canada - not that I sure of it; but it still could happen especially if the US neocons step in behind the scene to advise the Tories.

[Puzzler]

15. Not with the parliamentary system...

... there is no executive branch of government, as with the US. Even though Harper has the title of PM, in the legislative sense he is just like the leader of the Senate or House of Representatives. Also, Harper does not have a working majority... which means he needs the votes of the other parties to get ANY legislation passed. And, to make matters worse for Harper, all of the other parties in the house (whom together, outnumber Harper's party) are to the left of Harper.


-P

[mazzarro]

20. Glad to know that!

I hope that the neocons do not come out with another tactic to undermine the normal process of governing in Canada - that's my fear!

[Newsjock]

4. It's not as bad as had been feared

As of this writing, the breakdown in Parliament is 124 Conservative, 103 Liberal, 51 Bloc Quebecois, 29 NDP, and 1 independent. This means that even the Conservatives plus the NDP don't add up to the 155 majority necessary to set an agenda -- and that alliances in the new Parliament will probably be ever-shifting from issue to issue. And, as a result, George W. Harper might not be nearly as powerful as he had hoped.

[HuffleClaw]

12. i think the liberals one saving grace was martin

he was far far more professional on the campaign trail than harper. and his immediately stepping down as leader really show he's more interested in the future of the party than his own self interests.

[Spazito]

24. Martin needed to step down, Canadians didn't really like him

or trust him the way they did Chretien with all his own foibles. Martin ran a very poor campaign this election in comparison to the 04 election and I am glad the Libs are going for new leadership, depending on who they choose.

If they go by way of Frank McKenna or John Manley, they will not gain back any support, if they go elsewhere it could get very interesting.

[SidDithers]

5. Hardly...

Conservatives won a less than strong minority. Martin leaving the Liberals opens up the opportunity for some new blood. NDP had a very strong showing.

All in all, not as bad as had been predicted.

Sid

[daleo]

6. It is only a minority government

Harper is a long way from having a free hand. He needs the cooperation of at least one other party to actually pass legislation.

[tuvor]

7. Join us in the Canada forum and get the real goods.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=190

[DJ MEW]

8. The liberals there are caught up in scandals

involving kickbacks for government contracts.

I believe Canada is more of a liberal country, the people voted conservative because the other option was corruption

[tuvor]

10. ANY option is a vote for corruption.

It goes hand in hand with politics. My fellow Canadians who voted against the Liberals because they didn't want corruption in federal politics are little better than morans.

[okieinpain]

13. well if a person takes a big shit on your face, what else are you

going to do. hell people around here talk about not supporting dems if they don't filibuster alito.

[Wilber_Stool]

9. I feel much better now.

[AX10]

11. Martin must step down.

A new leader must take the lead now and win the next election.

[fasttense]

16. The platform of the so-called conservative party in Canada

certainly is not a platform our conservatives would ever take up. It includes improving environmental laws, tightening up campaign finance laws and lobbyist kick-backs, helping the elderly poor, fiscal responsibility, increase government access to information and resources. Just the opposite of what the repukes in the US stand for.

[AX10]

18. that's just a front for the campaign.

Steve Harper has a history of supporting far right wing policies. He even went onto Fox "News" Channel to apologize for Canada's opposition to the Iraq War.

[Spazito]

25. LOL, that is definitely NOT their agenda! Quite the opposite!

They will trash the Kyoto agreement (environment), reduce the ability of unions to participate while increasing business influence in campaigns (campaign finance laws), reduce taxes on the rich and dump them onto the middle class and poor (the elderly, poor), bring back the discrimination of gays, reduce the right of choice for women.

What part of that REAL agenda is unlike the repukes in the U.S?

The good thing is the Harper faux Con minority won't be able to implement any of their extreme agenda because Canadians put a collar with a VERY SHORT leash around his neck.

[AngryAmish]

17. OK Canada, you are off the list

no money from me. No visits. Nothing.

[leesa]

19. I guess Canada got tired of progress, surplus and peace.

They wanna be just like us now!

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

23. Not by a long shot.

The Prime Minister of Canada is not analogous to the President in your country; as far as real work goes, the job is more like the House Majority Leader (we don't have an elected Senate, before you ask). And for Harper, it's not even a real majority. Even if he packs the Cabinet with his cronies - and he will - the other parties between them can swing more than enough influence to keep him in check.

Paul Martin was a great Finance Minister ("Secretary" to you), but he couldn't handle sitting in the big chair. He's like the DLC of the Liberal Party. Here's hoping the Grits get a Howard Dean in time for next year's election.

Edited for grammar

[Odin2005]

21. That God you guys have a parliamntary system.

You guys can No-Confidence Harper if he tries anything cute. We, unfortunately, can't do the same with *.

[TrogL]

22. Hopefully it's now Anne McLellan's turn

I just haven't quite figured out how it will all work. She lost her seat.

[Spazito]

26. That was one loss I was happy with, in all honesty!

She was working hand in hand with the bush government on reducing Canadians' right to privacy versus the bush agenda under the euphemism of border security. I hope she just goes back to private life for good.