The morning after

Early talk radio shows aren't quite so bullish in their support of the PM. It seems that PM-SH didn't have much to say in his four minutes of an allotted ten minutes. People were expecting a positive plan for the economic crisis not a repetition of the ad hominem attack on the Separatists. They didn't get it So hosts are not quite so supportive, how will that go down in the rightwing corporate office? Wait until the afternoon shows the tone may have changed. But it does appear that the Libs haven't helped their cause by the use of an amateurish tape; DVD minicam doesn't broadcast well. "If these guys can't produce a good tape on time how can they run a country?" said one caller.
Meanwhile the shows are just waiting for the G-G's message.

A possible glimpse into the future: "Isn't this exciting with a coalition we can get rid of vote splitting." a local lib told me yesterday. "All we have to do is get an agreement to run only one candidate in close ridings" What a tired liberal idea, I can just imagine the local dippers handing over their 10,000 votes - what's in it for them? Let's see what seats the libs are willing to give up before we can discuss this for real.

The local Coalition speaks

At 4pm 3rd December the three defeated candidates in the recent Federal Election got together to endorse the national Coalition Agreement. These folks spoke eloquently to defend the agreement.

Paul Macklin (Lib) spoke first: "Everybody was looking for change and stimulus, in the recent Economic Statement but we got a "poison pill and incorrect facts." Holding up an impressive prop - the House rules of Rules, he told of all new MPs having to learn the rules from the big book. Reading this book is is obvious that the Governor General will find guidance in it. The main thrust of retaining power, according to th e book Government has to have the confidence of the House. This Government has lost the confidence of the House and must therefore hand over to people who do have the confidence or take it to the people if the others cannot govern. By signing the accord there is now a demonstrable alternative and the G-G must consider it. "A true majority in Parliament will nourishing"

Russ Christianson (NDP) "There are not just elected people in this coalition but unelected candidates! We are here for Canada we don't support bullying tactics and a PM who lies and he knows he lied." Expressing his support for the Coalition he said "I hear Mr. Norlock is crying, however I haven't been happier in thirty years!" He asked all in the room to go back to their friends and explain the situation and how we can have a brighter future for Canada. This coalition will work because it is supported by the 62% of the voters who didn't support the government"

Ralph Torrie (Greens) After thanking everybody for turning out he explained that even in the last election he had fears that the economy was tanking. "We have not changed gears fast enough. Mr. Harper had been told by the electorate make Parliament work. I waited and waited - it never happened" Saying that the economic stimulus did not give Canadians what they wanted. "This situation (the parliamentary crisis) didn't happen overnight, this system is not working. We learnt this in grade five civics. Being optimistic he told the audience that this coalition is one that we should expect if we ever implement Proportional voting. "Coalitions are the norm in the world today, we have to learn to work together." Turning back to the economic crisis Mr Torrie said, "We don't have time to waste, if we don't act now we will have wasted two months."

Moving to questions from the audience, the first question was from Martin Partridge who was worried by the exuberance of Conservative supporters who are accused of setting fire to a constituency office in BC and the threat of violence to MPs asked "Are you worried by these actions which appear to going over the top?" Macklin answered by saying, "Yes but perhaps prorogation may allow statesmanship and rationality may prevail."

Dylis Robertson asked if the PMs public rallies will pressure the G-G? Storrie said he was concerned about the misconstruing of the constitutionally of the situation, "But if any body who had Pat Carr in school (in Cobourg) would understand what is going on - you never got out of his class if you didn't!"

Rod Anderson asked the question, "Can I ask our legal expert - Does the G-G have the right not to grant prorogation? Paul M, a longtime local lawyer, answered, "These are uncharted waters but generally accepted practice is that the Government can only govern if they have the confidence of the House."

Finally the last question came from the back of the room, "What happens if the G-G resigns, who will make the decision?" No answer came back but the suggestion was that as the Queen is the Canadian Head of State perhaps she may intervene.

So there you have it folks God Save the Queen

Read this before you watch TV tonight

When Stevie tells us what dastardly people the Separatists are just remember the Neo-Cons have had at least two tries to form a coalition with the Bloc. This recollection comes from Jack Layton from an episode in 2005. Now Stockwell Day has a lapse of memory but others haven't read it here. All this proves is that the Neo-Cons (Alliance & the Conservatives) have been dealing with the Bloc for years. Funny how they have turned out to be the bad guys this week!

News at noon

The PM is going on the air, we don't know which channel but he (the top guy in the Nation) owns the CBC (our own station) so it looks like Coronation St. will be bumped, Boy will that go down well with "Corrie" fans!!

It will not be one-sided as the Coalition is supposed to get equal time, but how many viewers will be staying to watch. The article announcing this, in the Globe here is a long and detailed account of the roles all the players had in the last TV event, same situation different components but the the roles of all today were reversed then.

Quikquips:

• Perhaps we should have a pool to estimate how many times SH sneers "Separatists".
• Don Martin of the National Post speculates on the Cabinet here
• website for the coalition here
• website against the coalition here
  

Now for some REAL local content

This just in:

"Christianson, Macklin and Torrie will hold a COALITION press conference at 4pm today in the Citizen's Forum at Victoria Hall"

an organiser for the Coalition

Stay tuned!

Another email came in at 2.35pm

Are you or any of our Liberal friends that you have contact with available to come to the press conference today at 4 p.m. in the Citizens Forum at Victoria Hall today? It would be good to have half a dozen people or so to be present who are supportive of the coalition.

Best regards
Paul

What has changed overnight?

In the Parliamentary Crisis only positions have hardened overnight. The Tories tactic of isolating the Bloc as the bad guys appears to have stuck. Despite telling lies in the House, the Weasel PM is getting away his diversionary tactics, Geobbels would have been proud of the man who stood in the House and told it that there was not a Canadian flag in the room when the accord was signed. Even when journos pointed out this was untrue no apology was forthcoming. Apologists did look stupid here is one of them - Chuck Strahl answering a question outside of the House:

Question: Why did you lie about the flag because there were flags behind them?

Hon. Chuck Strahl: The picture that I saw and the picture that I had — actually saw, somebody gave it off the Liberal Party website, shows that there is no flags there.

So now we know - it's still the Libs fault.

Pundits are still confused about the PMs next move, will he proroge and then force another election on a new budget, in January, or will he go to a vote on Monday? Either way he cannot avoid a vote in the House and then the GG has to make a choice - new government or new election.

Patriotism is the last refuge of a traitor

The above quote comes from Samuel Johnson on the evening of April 7, 1775. Just remember this in the ongoing debate about the constitutional crisis. Listening to Charles Adler on AM640 is interesting, I don't think there is a right winger in the country who has not been begged for support of his position, that the electorate has been jobbed, and the supporters of the coalition have only been interviewed for the collecting of soundbites for further derision.

The Conservative message is clear, anybody who supports the coalition is a traitor because the coalition is supported by the Bloc.

Adler has just interviewed Michael Bliss, read him in the National Post today - he is using his academic reputation to push his theory that the winners won and losers have to go to an election. The GG should only grant an election and nothing else.

Now James Travers is up. Being treated with kid gloves because he is a regular contributor. He is countering the RW very well. Travers advances the idea that far from being led by Separatists the coalition is neutering the message of the Bloc. Adler is quiet for a second!

Why selfish people are bad losers

This situation in Ottawa reminds me of the situation where workers go on strike and the selfish losers, who participated in the strike vote (implying a belief in the rule of the majority) still demand the right to work. Here we have outraged conservatives, phoning into call shows, describing themselves as 'ordinary Canadians' funny how they all sound white, demanding that an election take place. Not only does that position dismiss parliamentary procedure but demonstrates an ignorance or willful disregard of the process. If it is willful disregard then these people are showing their selfish sides.

What's in it for the Bloc?

As critics have pointed out the Bloc are considered to be traitors to the cause of Canada because their 'raison d'etre' is Quebec's independence. But that is not all they want as political goals. It stands for progressive (read left leaning) policies. In all of the debates I have seen Duceppe has hammered both the Libs and Cons for the mess that the EI system is in - only 30% of those paying in ever qualify, fund is in surplus yet benefits have been cut, differing qualifying rules for different regions and the list goes on. He wants to reform that for Quebecers not for an independent state that could not afford its own EI. He stands for workers' rights. On the whole the Bloc is against most of the Tory positions. Calling them traitors may be semantically correct but practically wrong at this time.

So in signing a timed contract will be a restraint on the Bloc because the Quebecers will not forgive anybody who makes the situation worse.

I am an optimist!

The PR campaign has started

As noted before an intensive PR campaign about the possibility of a new government has started in earnest. All Tory MPs received an email from Guy Guiorno, the PM's Chief of Staff story and copy here. In the meantime the other side has started, I received an email from a local chap who will remain nameless asking all interested parties to email the Governor-General:

Hi.

I have written to the Governor General, asking her to appoint a coalition government if the current Conservative government falls. Canadians do not need the obscenity of another $300 million dollar expenditure on another federal election at this time. My view is that Prime Minister Stephen Harper must learn to work cooperatively with other political leaders and parties, or step aside in the most effective and expedient manner possible.

If the current government cannot sustain the confidence of the House, less than two months after we last cast our ballots, then a coalition government is clearly the only viable option at this time.

Please consider sending your own letter to the Governor General. She can be reached at info@gg.ca.

The welfare of Canada is at stake

Thank you.

XXXXX

Now the latest news is that the public funding of political parties is to be taken from the Economic Statement and a speech outlining the new "economic stimulus package" will be delivered in Toronto, by Mr Flaherty this afternoon. So by tomorrow cooler heads will have prevailed. But somehow I doubt it - all the Tory blabbermouths - the Talk Radio shows start at 6am. Be prepared for an onslaught of outraged and righteous microphoneheads, (John Oakley, Bill Carroll, Mike Stafford to name a few) just waiting to boost ratings and whip up the usual "hard-working Canadians"!