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Author Topic: Canadians...  (Read 119258 times)

FroHam X

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Re: Canadians...
« Reply #60 on: December 03, 2008, 11:38:15 AM »
And so the gloves have come off...Constitutional crisis? Anti-democratic power mongering? Legitimate strategy to help out the bruised economy?

Hmm...

I don't understand this business of calling it a constitutional crisis and anti-democratic. It's actually very democratic. The minority government has gone about acting as though they have a majority mandate in parliament. The opposition has decided is has had enough of this minority acting as majority tactic and called Mr. Harper's bluff. They have decided the majority in house (which democratically represents a majority of Canadians) should take over control from the minority government, in whom they have lost confidence. The point of a minority government is for the governing party to work with the other parties and compromise with them to represent a majority of the country.The second they start trying to force the majority of the house to accept the rule of a minority then the government should fall.
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edgar00

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Re: Canadians...
« Reply #61 on: December 03, 2008, 12:03:19 PM »
I think the biggest mistake the Harper government did was the economic update released last week by Flaherty. After much talk about the House getting along after some unfruitful final months of the previous Parliamentary session, coupled with the fact that the Liberals received an even greater blow with the results of October's election, the Conservatives believed the time was ripe to offer an economic report that was dubious in quality at best.

The belief was that the opposition parties were in no position to argue against it. Well, that backfired somewhat. I think the gray area exists in that the Conservative party won more ridings than any other party last month. Granted, combined together, the Liberals, New Democrats and the Bloc do have a majority of the seats in the House, but that wasn't what the electorate asked for on October 14th. It asked for a Conservative minority parliament. Keeping that mind, the fact that Canadians aren't used to a coalition government that doesn't involve the party that technically won the previous election is making people uneasy. I suspect that's why there are cries of this strategy being 'undemocratic.' In addition to that still, there is no precedent in Canada involving a Prime Minister asking the Governor General to prorogue a Parliamentary session. This can, and is, appearing as all bit much for the public.

Technicalities and public misguidance aside, in a sense your right frosty. With the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc united (which sounds so terribly strange. That's just me mind you) they do have the majority of seats. Seen that way, it appears a perfectly democratic strategy to follow. I think the real debate lies in the two more pressing trains of thought this week: a overzealous governing party that won an election as ordained by the rules, or a coalition formed by three parties that, together, do have the support of most voters, but none of which won the election.

It's a fascinating debate and I can't wait to see how all this plays out. I'll be glued to the CBC/Radio-Canada all week to be sure.
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mañana

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Re: Canadians...
« Reply #62 on: December 03, 2008, 12:23:29 PM »
It's all so much fun.

FroHam is right, the government is responsible to the House and in a minority situation that means making concessions and compromises. The opposition has finally grown a pair (unlike last year when they just kept abstaining from confidence votes) and is excreting the power it has in a minority parliament.

The second they start trying to force the majority of the house to accept the rule of a minority then the government should fall.

No doubt about that, but what makes this situation distinct is that the opposition doesn't want to trigger an election. They want a shot at governing.

For me, where things get dicey is that if the GG asks this coalition to form government, Dion becomes PM. And this is a guy that did badly in the last election and his own party doesn't even want him. On this point I think the Conservatives saying this whole thing is undemocratic may have some traction with the electorate.    

And so the gloves have come off...Constitutional crisis? Anti-democratic power mongering? Legitimate strategy to help out the bruised economy?


Well I'm pretty sure the BQ's involvement is more or less a product of losing the election financing subsidy. Hardly an altruistic motivation.       
« Last Edit: December 03, 2008, 12:35:52 PM by matt the movie watcher »
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FroHam X

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Re: Canadians...
« Reply #63 on: December 03, 2008, 01:31:10 PM »
Well, Dion won't be the leader in a few short months, whether this coalition passes or not. I'm hoping for Ignatieff.
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edgar00

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Re: Canadians...
« Reply #64 on: December 03, 2008, 01:46:42 PM »
He's arguably the best of the bunch, yes.
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Thor

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Re: Canadians...
« Reply #65 on: December 03, 2008, 02:12:54 PM »
Well, Dion won't be the leader in a few short months, whether this coalition passes or not. I'm hoping for Ignatieff.

This is Celine Dion, right?
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edgar00

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Re: Canadians...
« Reply #66 on: December 03, 2008, 02:26:24 PM »
Well, Dion won't be the leader in a few short months, whether this coalition passes or not. I'm hoping for Ignatieff.

This is Celine Dion, right?

Go watch Spurs lose another game or something.
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-James Bond: A little. But I won't consider myself to be in trouble until I start weeping blood.

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Thor

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Re: Canadians...
« Reply #67 on: December 03, 2008, 02:28:34 PM »
 :D
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edgar00

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Re: Canadians...
« Reply #68 on: December 03, 2008, 06:31:52 PM »
That was short and pointless (the speech, not your reply Thor).
-Le Chiffre: You changed your shirt, Mr Bond. I hope our little game isn't causing you to perspire.

-James Bond: A little. But I won't consider myself to be in trouble until I start weeping blood.

https://twitter.com/Betweentheseats
http://crabkeyheadquarters.wordpress.com/

mañana

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Re: Canadians...
« Reply #69 on: December 03, 2008, 06:46:32 PM »
That was short and pointless (the speech, not your reply Thor).

I missed it (no TV).

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