Prorogue?

[HeresyLives]

Prorogue?

I’m at the Parliamentary Press Gallery dinner right now and a quiet rumour among a small number of of the gathered people here is that Prime Minister Stephen Harper may prorogue Parliament until the new year.

This would provide some breathing room for the government and let Canadians consider a Bloc-supporter NDP-Liberal coalition while they eat their Christmas dinners and/or get together for their holiday parties.

The opposition will cry foul, but it’s within the Prime Minister’s power. The effect on Ottawa would be to pour some cold water on the heated political atmosphere on the Hill.

However, I should say, the optics of it wouldn’t be ideal to say the least. What do you think the risk/reward potential of this move would be?

UPDATE: 45 minutes later, the rumour has made it to the podium and was just announced to a surprised room. Should be an interesting evening. I also hear that the PM may make a surprise appearance.

This entry was authored by Stephen Taylor at 08:46 PM

http://www.stephentaylor.ca/

[Clintonista2]

1. apparently Flaherty is making a "surprise announcement" tommorow

things are getting interesting.

[HeresyLives]

2. Oh cripes, what now?

What have you heard, and where did you hear it?

On edit: Never mind, I found it.

'But in a stunning reversal, the government said Saturday it will shelve the proposal, which had infuriated the opposition and threatened to topple the government.
"We don't think it's in the interests of Canadians to have an election over this issue," said Prime Minister Stephen Harper's chief spokesman, Kory Teneycke, adding the government will release further details this weekend on how it will withdraw the measure.

The story will taker another twist on Sunday when federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is expected to make an announcement in Toronto about the government's plans.
But it's uncertain if what he says will satisfy the opposition.

Still, the continuing climb-down did not appear to stall the momentum of negotiations between the Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois on a coalition government.

"The political financing changes were never the issue. The economy has always been the issue," Liberal House Leader Ralph Goodale said in a statement. "At a time when every other Western industrialized nation is moving forward with packages to stimulate their economies, all the prime minister has brought to the table is ideological cuts and attacks on the rights of Canadians - nothing to help our economy."

A spokesman for the NDP echoed that view.'



http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=1012868

[CHIMO]

3. Sounds Like

Something he would do.

Keeps him in power for a few more months. Allows him to get his machine lined up for an election.
The big item is, it allows him to pull in 2009 donations so they can spend their way into the new battle.

[daleo]

4. The NDP and Liberals have to agree not to run full slates

In ridings where vote splitting has elected a Harperite, they have to agree to only run one candidate. I suspect that they are working on that aspect of a coalition now. Otherwise, they may be walking into a trap.