The Throne Speech: Michael Ignatieff says no election
Michael Ignatieff responded to the Throne Speech on behalf of the Liberal Party. And something he said tells me there won't be an election.
The Throne Speech has been read. The responses?
Gilles Duceppe: Thumbs down.
Jack Layton: Thumbs down.
Stephane Dion: No response. I think he's hiding behind that column to the left.
Michael Ignatieff spoke on behalf of the Liberal Party? In any other situation, it wouldn't matter. But with Stephane Dion and the Liberals, what message is that sending?
Anyway, Michael Ignatieff used words like "responsible" in describing the pending Liberal response. Hmm, opposite of gutsy. No election coming? Maybe.
But the giveaway is Ignatieff's response to NDP charge that the Liberals are abrogating their responsibility if they don't vote down the Throne Speech. Michael Ignatieff repeated word-for-word Ralph Goodale's response to NDP sniping at the Liberals who might be considering letting the Throne Speech stand:
Liberal House Leader Ralph Goodale insisted Liberal MPs will discharge their responsibilities in the best interests of Canadians, but called Layton's challenge "a bit much." He said the NDP's role in bringing down the last Liberal government cost Canadians a universal child care program and billions for aboriginal Canadians.
"Mr. Layton's principles are barely skin deep, and quite frankly I will take no lectures from him on how to conduct myself in the Parliament of Canada," he said.
Universal child care? Aboriginal Canadians? No lessons from the NDP?
Yup, word for word. Michael Ignatieff hit each of those points exactly while being interviewed by the CBC.
This has to be a Liberal talking point prepared for what they expect to be a commonly heard NDP attack.
And if they think it's going to be heard often enough that every senior Liberal has been briefed on what to say, then you have to assume that they expect to be hearing that often, and that means they already know that they are going to let the Throne Speech stand, and that the NDP is going to be going after them on that point for the forseeable future.
That's my bet based on reading the tea leaves.
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Comments
I was watching Lizzy May's response.
Seems she's changed her tune quite a bit from 24 hours ago.
She even said and I quote "there is no reason to go to an election now over the environment".
I kid you not.
Methinks Dion may not be the only leader that is suffering a crisis.
Posted by: gimbol at October 16, 2007 09:07 PM
I love the irony of this.
Not so long ago many Liberals were blaming Layton and the NDP for defeating their minority Government and thus ensuring a Harper minority Government. And yet now the Liberals can't stand it when THEY are the ones under attack for propping up the very Government they condemn the NDP of helping come to power.
Hypcorisy - all Liberal, all the time.
Posted by: Lycan Stark at October 16, 2007 09:28 PM
"I was watching Lizzy May's response."
I'm sorry I missed that. I saw her prior to the delivery of the Throne Speech, and she said that PM Harper had "sabotaged" the world's acceptance of the Kyoto Protocol.
She was also quoted thus: (in a Toronto Star Article/267233 )
"What Mr. Harper has been doing in Australia and Washington this fall constitutes nothing but fraud and the sooner he is removed as prime minister, the sooner we have a prime minister who understands that we are up against ... a ticking clock on climate change,"
"... the sooner he is removed as prime minister"?!?
Is Ms. May proposing a coup d'etat?
This while handing out the "Green Party's 160-page policy document." Count them - 160 pages. How many trees were cut down for those 160 pages, Ms. May?
Posted by: Gabby in QC at October 16, 2007 09:29 PM
I agree
Posted by: Timothy Coderre at October 16, 2007 10:09 PM
I don't think Harper will mind if Iggy steps up to the plate to lead the Libs. It's Bob Rae he's always been worried about. Iggy has no political instincts; Rae's instincts are very sharp, and he's a two-headed monster with his back-room brother.
If the Libs keep this Parliament going, at least the ground rules have been set by Harper. It's going to be fun, with so many confidence votes, to see how fast the Lib caucus runs for the exits when the bell sounds.
Posted by: NCF TO at October 16, 2007 10:10 PM
If gimbol's quote (above) on Elizabeth May is accurate,
"there is no reason to go to an election now over the environment"
it would appear that Citoyen Dion's Red-Green Party candidate for Pictou-Antigonish-Guysborough wants her de facto "leader" to continue his self-destruction routine for the next while before begging the voters to put him out of his misery.
Posted by: Harold Green at October 16, 2007 10:56 PM
Perhaps May and Dion need time to convince the Greens to join the Libs. 28 + 12 = 40
Posted by: wilson at October 16, 2007 11:56 PM
I wonder if Dion is hiding because he wants to avoid question about Chretien's book.
Posted by: Phil at October 17, 2007 12:14 AM
When CPAC's Peter Van Dusen interviewed Ralph Goodale tonight, Goodale proclaimed that if there is an election this fall, the Liberals "would be ready" and "would win".
What a relief!!!!!
I sure hope that Ralph regurgitates this to Mizz May...forget the sadistic slow-political-death morosity, a quick and decisive victory is theirs!
(Pass the popcorn, eh?)
Posted by: Harold Green at October 17, 2007 12:22 AM
Yeah, he was regurgitating the talking points memo. But you heard the more authentic Iggy voice a moment or two later when he said something to the effect that the Liberals would debate or arrive at a decision on the Throne Speech in a "serene" manner. As NCF TO wrote above, Bob Rae's the guy Dion doesn't dare turn his back to.
Posted by: GDW at October 17, 2007 12:47 AM
Of course Ignatieff doesn't want an election over the Throne Speech .. otherwise that would mean he would have to follow Dion in a non-confidence vote, thus giving Dion the remote chance of beating Harper in an election.
Instead, Ignatieff wants to drive Dion into leading the Liberals in a vote of confidence for the TS, thus letting Dion take the criticism and subsequent hit for reversing himself and letting Harper wreak havoc on Canada.
It would be easier for Ignatieff to assume the leadership of the Liberal party if Dion quietly abdicated, rather than losing any next election and letting others challenge him for the throne.
The Wednesday Liberal caucus meeting will be a doozer .. with Dion perhaps asking the party to follow him into an election now, and Ignatieff refusing to follow, thus splitting the Liberals, and forcing a confidence vote on Dion's leadership.
Posted by: Observer at October 17, 2007 01:11 AM
Observer wrote:
"It would be easier for Ignatieff to assume the leadership of the Liberal party if Dion quietly abdicated, rather than losing any next election and letting others challenge him for the throne."
Bien sur, it would be easier for Iggy Czardust to ascend to Godfather of the Libranos if Le Citoyen de France would conveniently self-terminate politically, but even a self-confessed irrelevant academic hypothesizer (read Iggy's mea culpa on Iraq) wouldn't doobie-dream that the new "leader" would resign before his lack of leadership is soundly confirmed.
(With all due respect to Iggy and Steph.)
Posted by: Harold Green at October 17, 2007 01:48 AM
Ignatieff said last night that Canadians are weary of elections and this morning the Star is reporting that Dion is also saying Canadians don't want an election. So how does this jive with the poll that Dion's Special Advisor on Constituency Outreach Garth Turner is conducting on his blog? At last count on Monday, the last results Garth is letting us in on, show 56% want an election, 21% want to support the gov't and 20% are for abstaining. Garth has been urging Dion to go for an election.
On the other hand, there are rumours that Dion's other advisors have had to try to talk him out of voting down the gov't. I think Dion wants to vote down the gov't. It makes you wonder how much he listens to his new Special Advisor.
Posted by: muttsrus at October 17, 2007 07:51 AM
Anyone else sick of listening to the likes of Ralphie Goodytwoshoes and the rest of the sh*t for brains talking heads trying to run what's left of the Liberal party?
They have the gall to imply they are the only ones capable of knowing what is best for Canadians in pondering whether to accept the Throne speech.
Stephi is hiding behind a false notion that we the people don't want another election, the lamest excuse on the list. A "Turd election in tree and a half years", (Dion speak), what a dilapidated crutch to be leaning on.
Poor Stephi, he's like a wish-bone being pulled by two teams with opposing wishes, all in his own party.
How about that Garth fella, he looks refreshed and ready to rumble with the beard all color-backed and trimmed and ready to rumble. Wonder what the folks in Halton think of their bench hopping representative, do they want to have at him?
Posted by: Libby at October 17, 2007 08:14 AM
I attemped to ask this question on the CTV blog last night but they would not post.
My question was "now that Kyoto is history in Canada,will Dion have to kill his dog"?
A bit brash maybe but should have known this outlet along with Jane Taber's feeling toward her beloved Liberal Party would find the humor less than acceptable.
Posted by: W.D at October 17, 2007 08:46 AM
Posted at SDA and will ask the same question here, has anyone out there got a still shot of "Iggy" with the 'sh*t' eating smile on his face from last nights interview. He looks like he just won the lottery. Any takers on the position that 'Iggy' may lead the "long Knives" into a coup d'etat by forcing an election before Christmas and then winning the next Liberal leadership race at Easter. Back to the request for "Iggy's" picture I really want it for the dart board in my office as the Steffi one is now kind of tattered.
Posted by: Antenor at October 17, 2007 11:34 AM
Garth Vader is urging his Emperor Stephane to "make war" and vote down the Conservative Consortium to expose their vulnerabilities to Canadians.
"The Power is with us!!", proclaims Garth Vader!! I have received the message from my followers and 61% urge me to advocate aggression against Harper and his clone army .... YEEAAAAHHHHH ... !!!!!
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