Rae urges leaderless Liberals to risk election over softwood deal

[Spazito]

OTTAWA (CP) - Liberal leadership candidate Bob Rae is urging the party's MPs to vote against the softwood lumber deal, even if it means toppling the minority Conservative government and plunging into an election before the Grits have chosen a new chief.

Rae, a former Ontario NDP premier and a leading contender for the top federal Liberal job, dared Stephen Harper to call an election over the trade agreement finalized on July 1.

snip

"The Liberal party can not under any circumstances allow our own internal issues to get in the way of focusing on the importance of this question in the House of Commons," said Rae, who once served as legal counsel to the Free Trade Lumber Council.

snip

All three opposition parties, many forestry companies and some provinces have dubbed the softwood agreement a sell-out to the United States. One of the main bones of contention is an opt-out clause in the seven-year deal that would allow either party to pull out after two years.

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http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/060714/n071420.html

(I agree with him, I don't give a crap about the Libs internal stuff, they need to do what they were elected to do, represent their constituents instead of protecting their asses till it is convenient to do otherwise.)

[CHIMO]

1. It

Just might be the time to pull the plug. I would prefer it to be a bit more into the future, but I think Harpers's extremist's views are starting to percolate through to everyone.

[Spazito]

2. I believe they are as well, his numbers have remained statistically

static even during the proverbial honeymoon period. The worst case scenario, imo, is that he may end up back in as a minority again but I suspect there are voters who parked their angry Lib votes with the NDP and may well vote Lib this time, some of them anyway.

If the plug is not pulled now then the softwood lumber deal will be through and Harper will simply find another issue to force until he finds an issue even the opposition, especially the Libs, cannot support so I say DO IT NOW.

[daleo]

3. An election would force the leadership race to be concluded quickly

That would probably be to the Liberals advantage, as they would get a lot more media attention. On the other hand, it may result in a hasty ill-considered choice. Rae may feel that this would be to his advantage.

But the politics of the country can't be suspended forever (like the phony budget "whoops" vote).

[Spazito]

4. Exactly, add to that the vote to extend the mission in Afghanistan

whereby there were just enough Libs missing and just enough Libs voting for it to barely scrape by, all planned out well ahead of time, sadly, at the cost of our troops lives and well-being.

Allowing bad bills to pass for political expediency will not garner the Libs any more support, indeed, it will ensure they lose it whether they have a "leader" or not, imo.

[daleo]

5. Good point

I had forgotten how the Afghanistan vote was cooked.