Instead of obliterating the Left through his poison pill, he is bringing them together.

The Poison Pill

The opposition parties all say Flaherty's mini-budget, which strictly limits federal spending, bans public-sector strikes through 2011, and denies federal parties $30 million in annual funding, is ideologically driven and offers no stimulus package to deal with the economic crisis.

The annual funding issue is a potentially lethal poison pill that would financially cripple every party except the Tories.

_{Tolerating prostitution is tolerating abuse and torture of women and children.}

Looks like the conservatives have retracted the campaign finance sections of the mini-budget.

http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/473887

One wonders, however, if at this point the genie might have been let out of the bottle. I've certainly written my MP and encouraged her to give coalition governance a chance.

Look's like political maveuvering on his part but maybe the conservatives have no real package to deliver.
BUT being the scoundrells that they are, they probably want to privatise most of the civil service and what better way to do so than to lower their working conditions ans salaries. The big question though is that with a cheap civil service comes inconpetence and corruption. They also want to revize salary equity where a man and a women doing the having the same job description are paid the same salary, thats brigning us back to the dark ages again.
As for subsidies to political parties, that measure insures that big corporations cannot buy the govt; we all know whats happened in the US.
Harper has definitely not read those wonderfull post anout Kensian economics on the Agonist blog, I for one came out of quite enlightened about what should be done during an economic crisis.

Or may be the guy is just plain frustrated of not having a majority govt as of the last elections and if a coalition there is the New Conservative (sounds darn close to Neo-Cons) party will do everything possible to sabotage those efforts,then say that the coalition govt was inefficient at it's job.

Things are indeed looking up!

Ian comments here: http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/28/canadas-conservatives-play-catch-22-with-the-opposition/

This could really turn things around. If they play nice, it could work. If not, they ruin themselves and the Tories come back stronger. I hope they realize the stakes in this game.

I guess now we've seen the outcome of the US election everybody wants a re-do of ours.

If only Dion would step aside it would be a cakewalk.

Thomas Walkom’s piece…he’s one of my favourite reporters

Harper is trying desperately to twist the circumstances of this coalition government possibly coming to power by saying it's a power grab. One would think more than anyone Harper would know what a power grab is because he's been campaigning for literally years trying to get a majority government that voters know better than to give him. All power in this Conservative government is concentrated in Harper and the PMO office. Ministers in his cabinet are muzzled and not allowed to speak without 'HIS' permission.

in the comment section of today's Globe and Mail with this article titled, “Opposition set to present coalition to Governor-General”

It’s truly amazing the sheer volume of Canadians that don’t understand how parliamentary government works! If civics classes in Canadian high schools aren’t mandatory, they should be judging by the amount of ignorance that’s so obvious in the comment section.

Seems the biggest complaint is that the Liberals, NDP, and Greens are making agreements with the Bloc. The Bloc returns good government for the Quebec electorate in Quebec and is not seeking separation. Besides, Harper doesn’t have a majority and depends on the Bloc for votes from time to time to pass their legislation when the other parties don’t support this Conservative government.

This very well could be Canada’s shining hour! Parliament is working as it should and I’m proud to see democracy actually working for the electorate. Harper blew it big time thinking he had powers he did not!
What an exciting time it will be in Canada if this coalition government manages to come to power.

Hip, hip hooray for democracy!

The coalition government will represent approximately 60% of the electorate rather than the less than 40% Harper Conservative government that is currently in power.

I really, really want MY Canada back and taken away from these bullies that managed to fool the electorate into thinking they'd represent them. The new leftist government can't possibly do more damage than what this Conservative government has done. Harper's biggest mistake was believing the other parties would let him defund elections. Just because his Conservative government has corporations fund him that the other parties don't.

Harper completely ignored Elizabeth May, from the Green Party, during the debates and wouldn't answer her questions--he's a tyrant of the worst sort and didn't deserve to be the Prime Minister of Canada. Looks like Elizabeth is going to get the last laugh! He's concenterated more power in the PMO office than another other PM EVER elected and he has the gall to say opposition parties are power hungry!

Dion has more integrity in his little finger---what am I talking about? ... Harper is devoid of that quality.

from the TO Star:

Liberals, NDP and Bloc sign coalition pact
Opposition parties say they will defeat Conservatives next week
Dion would serve as prime minister until March when Liberal convention selects new leader
December 01, 2008
OTTAWA–NDP Leader Jack Layton and Liberal Leader Stephane Dion have signed an historic accord to form a coalition government to replace Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives.

In an extraordinary scene on Parliament Hill late this afternoon, Dion and Layton signed a formal deal to work together through to June, 2011.

And they signed an agreement with Bloc Quebecois Gilles Duceppe that commits the separatist party to support the coalition through to June, 2010.

Liberal leader Dion would serve as prime minister.

The opposition parties are threatening to defeat the Conservatives next week.

However, their plan to assume government would require the blessing of the Governor General.

Two senior Conservative cabinet ministers emerged from a meeting with Harper within an hour of the coalition’s news conference and framed the coalition as “undemocratic.”
...
Dion will serve as leader until a Liberal leadership convention in May. Liberals Michael Ignatieff, Bob Rae and Dominic LeBlanc, all candidates for the party leadership, appeared together to show support for the decision.

Ignatieff told reporters that the ongoing race would not preclude any of the contenders from serving in a coalition cabinet.

Ignatieff and Dominic Leblanc said it was the prerogative of the prime minister to choose.

"The decisions on who is in cabinet are made by the prime minister of Canada, they’re not made by me, they’re not made by Dom and they’re not made by Bob," said Ignatieff.

"And that’s very clear in the accord that’s to say the authority andb the prerogatives of the prime minister have not been compromised. It’s up to Mr.Dion to make the choices that he feels are right for the country."

Leblanc responded "Michael is always right!"
...
There were several signals over the weekend that the affair has damaged Harper's leadership. Several senior Conservative government members admitted they had been hearing from supporters outraged over Harper's moves.

http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/546315

Here's an opportunity for the Libs to fast-track Ignatieff into a high-profile position which could ultimately lead to PM...what are the odds that the Libs will wait until May to vote in a replacement for Dion, after the Harper cockup and this "grand coalition" in process of formation?

"undemocratic."... more of his bullshit! For my American Agonists: The coalition is not only legal; it’s founded on a primary tenant in parliamentary government *similar to your Constitutional 'Habeas Corpus,'--a basic tenant or your system!

Minority governments who don’t get the support of other parties are susceptible to Loss of Confidence Motions which defeats sitting governments. Unlike American systems, parties who lose an election don't necessarily loss their ability to form governments. Budgets and matters that the sitting government place as being important are treated as Confidence Motions such as proposed legislation contained in Speeches from the Throne (which the sitting government draws up and the Governor General merely reads in the Senate.) Failure on a Motion of Confidence matter dissolves parliament or in this case, the agreements between the rest of the parties, have more than enough seats to make up a coalition government.

No we don't vote separately for the position of Prime Minister--that's automatically determined--the leader of the party that gets the most seats gets that job.

Harper and is ideology were bent on destroying opposition parties, but they’re not willing to just die without making agreements with each other. Democracy, the ultimate winner! The combination of Liberals, NDP and Bloc represent more than 60% of the population, rather than the less than 40% the Conservatives achieved in the very recent election. Harper, please take your well-deserved seat as, “Leader of the Opposition,” and move your possessions to Stornaway once again! Please take the pictures of yourself that you plastered all over parliament when you go!

Harper's historical, destiny patterns Joe Clark's, "Stephen Who?

that old post of mine sounds about right! Conservative ideology fosters people who become small and mean!





Speculation about this terminology, "Stephen Who?" Wouldn't, 'Stephen Whom" be grammatically more correct?

"We will use all legal means to resist this undemocratic seizure of power," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said yesterday.

Here are the ten options the Prime Minister is likely reviewing:

1. Preemptively Remove Michaëlle Jean
This is the true nuclear option for Harper: a preemptive strike against Jean to remove her from office, and replace her with a governor-general sympathetic to the argument that the people should decide in an election.
2. Reschedule the Vote Again
3. Appoint opposition MPs to the Senate
4. Caretaker Prime Minister
Ned Franks has argued that the Prime Minister cannot use his powers of appointment without proving his enjoys confidence in the Commons. What about turning this weakness into strength?

In essence, the PM would argue that he should let the Governor-General off the hook, voluntarily reduce his powers of appointment and programme, and return to Parliament to work to find a coalition partner.
5. Prorogue
The option that is getting the most attention is proroguing. This would have the effect of dismissing the Commons until a Jan. 26 Throne Speech, essentially rebooting the Parliament for a second try. As I wrote yesterday, there are risks with Governor-General refusing this option.
6. Apologize, fire Flaherty (the Minister of Finance) and reach across the aisle
7. Request an election
8. Convince Opposition MPs to Support the Government
9. Seduce the Bloc to Support Conservatives
10. Step Down as Conservative Leader

_{Tolerating prostitution is tolerating abuse and torture of women and children.}

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada

Biography

_{Tolerating prostitution is tolerating abuse and torture of women and children.}

and suggests the Conservatives choose a less controversial leader to avoid the formation of a coalition government.

More

_{Tolerating prostitution is tolerating abuse and torture of women and children.}

Canadian PM wins suspension of Parliament

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper won a rare suspension of Parliament on Thursday, managing to avoid being ousted by opposition parties angry over the minority Conservative government's economic plans and an attempt to cut off party financing.

Governor General Michaelle Jean -- the representative of Queen Elizabeth, Canada's head of state -- agreed to Harper's request to shut down Parliament until Jan 26. Parliament was reconvened just weeks ago after the October 14 election.

Harper's request for suspension was unprecedented. No prime minister had asked for Parliament to be suspended to avoid a confidence vote in the House of Commons.

Such a vote had been set for Monday and the Conservatives almost certainly would have lost it, and faced the possibility of being replaced by a coalition of opposition parties.

After a two-hour meeting with the governor general, Harper reaffirmed his promise to present a budget on Jan 27 and called on the opposition to work with the government over the next few weeks to tackle the effects of the global financial crisis.

"Today's decision will give us an opportunity -- and I'm talking about all the parties -- to focus on the economy and to work together," he told reporters.

The opposition Liberals, New Democrats and the separatist Bloc Quebecois -- all to the left of the Conservatives -- had signed a deal to defeat the Conservatives and put forward a Liberal-New Democrat coalition to form a new government.

The Bloc, which wants to take French-speaking Quebec out of Canada, pledged to back the coalition's budgets and general policy direction.

The governor general's role in government, as representative of the Crown, is largely ceremonial, though she has the final word on constitutional matters. Should the government be defeated in a confidence vote, she would decide whether to call a new election or allow the opposition to form a coalition government.

CONSTITUTIONAL BATTLE

Harper's gambit was the latest development in a constitutional battle that erupted last week after he tried to eliminate direct subsidies of political parties, a move that would have hit the opposition particularly hard.

He backed down on that, but the opposition parties also say they are upset that the government has not dealt adequately with the economic crisis and said it had lost the confidence of the House of Commons.

Liberal leader Stephane Dion, who would have become prime minister under the opposition's coalition plan, said nothing he heard from Harper on Thursday had changed his mind about trying to bring down the government.

However, he did appear to open the door a crack to not proceeding with such a plan.

"This is about replacing Stephen Harper unless he made a monumental change," he told a news conference. "It means a recovery plan, a real recovery plan."

The New Democrats and Bloc maintained their insistence that Harper could not be trusted and must be removed, as did some members of Dion's Liberal caucus.

"You can run but you can't hide," said Bob Rae, who is looking to become Liberal leader when Dion steps down early in May. He predicted the opposition would topple Harper early next year.

However the front-runner in the Liberal leadership race, Michael Ignatieff, said he imagined Jean may have told Harper "to have a think" and that would be good advice for all politicians on both sides of the dispute.

Liberal legislator Keith Martin told reporters after a caucus meeting that bringing the Conservatives down was "not at all" a done deal.

In the back of their minds may be the fact that in much of the country the idea of a formal agreement with the separatists did not go down well.

An Ekos opinion poll taken as the crisis reached its peak showed the Conservatives had shot up in popularity to 44 percent, enough to get a parliamentary majority if an election were held today, up from the 37.6 percent they received in the October 14 vote.

Liberal support dropped to 24.1 percent from 26.2 percent, the New Democrats fell to 14.5 percent from 18.2 percent and the Bloc edged down to 9.2 percent from 10.0 percent.

The poll, released late on Thursday by CBC television, covered 2,536 respondents from December 2-3 and carried a 1.9 point margin of error, 19 times out of 20.

Now, I'm sure many of you lot commenting here know your Commonwealth history, and recall vividly the actions in 1975 of Australia's then GG, John Kerr, who dismissed the Labour government of Gough Whitlam over a extremely knotty parliamentary issue, and appointed opposition leader Malcom Fraser as "caretaker" PM. Although the background and complexity of what led Kerr to do what he did may well be beyond the issues extant presently in Ottawa, the interesting part of all that was the so-called "reserve powers" inherent in a Goveror-General's role in the Australian Constitution, and - seemingly - in all "constitutional monarchies", of which Canada is representative. Or not? Any views? Can Mme Jean actually replace a head of government in Canada if the opposition presents a compelling case on its behalf?

BTW, an excellent account here at Wikipedia on the crisis in Australia in 1975:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Australian_constitutional_crisis