Tories reverse plans to end party funding

[HeresyLives]

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Presented by
Tories reverse plans to end party funding

Andrew Mayeda, Canwest News Service
Published: Saturday, November 29, 2008


OTTAWA -- In a stunning reversal, the Harper government announced Saturday it will withdraw its proposal to end public subsidies for political parties, a measure that had infuriated the opposition parties and threatened to topple the government.

As part of an economic update tabled this week, the government had proposed eliminating the roughly $28-million in public subsidies that political parties receive for each vote they receive in federal elections.

But in an interview Saturday with CBC Television, Transport Minister John Baird revealed the government will withdraw the controversial measure.

The climb-down came as momentum continued to build Saturday for a coalition government between the Liberals and NDP, supported by the Bloc Quebecois. The opposition has also criticized what they see as inadequate plans in the update to stimulate the economy, and they have threatened to defeat the government and ask Governor General Michaelle Jean to let them govern as a coalition.

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1011574

[Clintonista2]

1. That's gotta hurt

[HeresyLives]

2. I'd say Harper is smarting a bit on this

today, yeah. :rofl:

Coalition is still going ahead though.

[daleo]

3. It may be too late

The coalition plans may have gone too far. It's like World War I. Once the mobilization orders go out, it can be impossible to reverse the momentum to wars or elections.

Harper has tipped his hand, that he's out to destroy the opposition parties by fair means or foul. They now have the motivation they need to band together.

Should an election come out of this, I think it is quite likely that the Liberals and NDP will identify a list of ridings where vote splitting elected a Conservative, and agree not to run against each other in them. That would pretty much cook Harper's goose.

[HeresyLives]

4. Whether there's an election

or they go to the GG with a coalition, I'd say either way his goose is cooked.

Seems to be on fire, actually.

[CHIMO]

5. It Very Well May Be

Too late for Harper.

If the Liberal and NDP party members could get their parties moving on this the politicians will follow. Once they have found that they can overcome this dark cloud it might bring them together.

I was going to keep on writing, but let's stay with the progressive possibilities now.

Let's overcome the problems as they crop up.

[HeresyLives]

6. Why the opposition can't back down now

Why the opposition can't back down now
The Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois will never get a better chance to take out Stephen Harper
SCOTT REID

Globe and Mail Update

November 29, 2008 at 5:00 PM EST

First things first: take him out.

After all, Stephen Harper is the most dangerous animal lurking in the jungles of Parliament. He is a threat to the future viability of the Liberals. A blood simple opponent of the NDP and the only serious contemporary challenge to the Bloc Quebecois. Without him, his party is an unlikely combination of Reform Party leftovers, Harris refugees and Red Tory desperates. They don't matter or even exist without Mr. Harper. So before you think a moment longer, opposition leaders, think on that.

And if that's not compelling enough, remember: He doesn't play to win. He plays to conquer. Under his guidance, the public interest is always subjugated to his personal political advancement. And he poisons Parliament with an extreme, bare-fanged breed of partisanship that has no hope of repair until he is banished.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081129.WReid29/BNStory/Front

[CHIMO]

7. He

Is going for the jugular. It was only a matter of time and a window of opportunity.

We and everyone knows that. He has already backed-off on the $1.95 for now. All he needs is to have the Bloc absent half their members and he still wins. Or have some of them vote with him. It is very shaky with the Bloc there.
I am not concerned with the Liberals nor the NDP. If they don't congeal they will feel the wrath at the next election.
At the moment the parties have to take advantage of the opportunity the gods have given them.

[daleo]

8. That was a good article

It laid it out well. If Harper loses, the Conservative knives will be out for him. This is high stakes.

I expect Harper will try to break the coalition, perhaps by offering a coalition of his own - e.g. by taking a high profile NDPer or Liberal into the cabinet. But I can't see them going for it.

If the leadership of the Liberals and NDP is committed, they can take power. They could easily win an election by forcing strategic voting - i.e. figure out which are the Conservative seat that can be won by a Liberal/NDP candidate and only run one candidate in those ridings.