"Economic Update"

[AD]

Strombo just stole my line!!!

[Freak By Night]

Overheard on the bus this morning:

"Stephen Harper is Canada's greatest politician ever. He united the right, AND the left."

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the disembodied voice on The Current this morning had a good one too.

(slightly paraphrased)

"Stephen Harper says the Coalition wants to take power without your say, without your consent, and without your vote. So he is asking the Governor General to suspend Parliament without your say, without your consent, and without your vote."

[can-o-phish]

it looked like the Liberals got Al-Qaeda to film dion's message.

Sweet Jeebus that made me laugh!!!

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Harper needs a 5-car motorcade to drive across the street? Asshole

[Thorgnor]

I was just thinking that Baird was a pretty crafty speaker... and then he went and said that they were "going to go over the heads" of the parliamentarians and the governor general... not very crafty after all.

and then he says he want s to make the minority parliament work... these fuckheads don't get it at all.

[AD]

I've only ever heard Baird yell.

[Thorgnor]

Anyone else a little concerned that all of this is happening after the GG met with the Aga Khan the same day she delivered the throne speech?

Now that's a conspriracy theory... the Islmailis did used to promote assassination, no?

[Big Wooly Mammoth]

The line on the Current was great.

Baird is an asshole. (and he should come out of the closet already.)

Harper also did the motorcade thing the last time he met with the GG.

[Thorgnor]

Baird is an asshole. (and he should come out of the closet already.)

lol

[can-o-phish]

Speaking of conspiracy theories, how's this...

The Cons & the PQ have secretly planned this current situation and when the coalition takes over, the PQ don't support the coalition, the Libs & NDP crash, burn & disintegrate and all that's left are the Cons & PQ...oh yeah, and the Green Party

Harper being from Alberta will let the PQ separate and have their own country, Harper will be King of The Great West Strong & Free and the maritimes will become part of New England...

[Big Wooly Mammoth]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/v5/content/pdf/GGletter.pdf

[Thorgnor]

Not bad

When do we kill Obama and burn the White House?

Edited December 4, 2008 by Guest
pink font, if you needed it.

[Thorgnor]

9:30 AM ET; Stephen Harper arrives at Rideau Hall.

9:31 AM ET; Stephen Harper enters the side door after briskly waving to journalists from a distance.

9:32 AM ET; After passing his coat to an aide, Mr. Harper proceeds inside the mansion.

Governor General - "Steve! Good morning! Eggs. I'm having eggs. Would you like some eggs Stephen? And bacon... wonderful. Would you like some bacon Stephen? Oh, silly, of course you would..."

and they laughed until well close to noon...

[AD]

harper gets his wish. brutal

[Kanada Kev]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/04/harper-jean.html

GG agrees to suspend Parliament: PMO

Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean has agreed with a request from Stephen Harper to suspend Parliament, the Prime Minister's Office told CBC News, a move that avoids a confidence vote set for Monday that could have toppled his minority government.

The announcement on Thursday comes after a two-hour meeting with Jean at Rideau Hall in which he asked her to prorogue, or suspend, the current parliamentary session until the end of January, when the Tories plan to table a budget.

A no-confidence vote could have precipitated the rise of a Liberal-NDP coalition. If the Governor General had refused the prime minister's request, she could have called an election had the Conservatives lost the no- confidence vote. Or she could have allowed the proposed Liberal-NDP coalition to govern if the no-confidence vote was successful.

But the decision to suspend parliament only gives the Tories a reprieve until late January, when they plan to table a budget that could set them up for a no-confidence vote.

Harper waved to onlookers after his limousine arrived at Rideau Hall at 9:30 a.m ET Thursday. He was greeted by about 40 chanting supporters, including Conservative staffers. A single anti-Harper demonstrator stood waving a sign reading "Harper Must Go."

Harper has pledged to use "every legal means" to prevent a Liberal-NDP coalition government, backed by the Bloc Québécois, from taking power.

Making his case

Harper's visit comes a day after he took to the airwaves to make his case that his government should remain in power.

In a five-minute, pre-recorded statement Wednesday night, Harper spoke bluntly against a proposed Liberal-NDP coalition backed by "separatists," saying the federal government must stand unequivocally for keeping the country together in the face of the global economic crisis.

Jean returned to Ottawa on Wednesday after cutting short a two-week trip to Europe.

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, who would head the proposed coalition, said he sent a letter to Jean on Wednesday, urging her to reject any attempt by Harper to prorogue Parliament.

Dion responded to Harper's address with his own taped rebuttal in which he defended the notion of a proposed coalition government "as normal and current practice in many parts of the world."

The Conservatives have lost the confidence of the majority of members of the House of Commons — largely because of their, in the opposition's view, inadequate reaction to Canada's financial crunch — and thus, "have lost the right to govern," Dion said.

Economic statement lambasted

The coalition sprang up after the Tories released an economic statement that was lambasted by the opposition parties.

They accused Harper of doing nothing to address the current economic crisis and slammed what they saw as ideologically driven measures such as the proposed elimination of subsidies for political parties, a three-year ban on the right of civil servants to strike and limits on the ability of women to sue for pay equity.

Harper has since backed down on those contentious issues, but the opposition has pushed forward with the coalition.

The coalition — which would have a 24-member cabinet composed of six NDP and 18 Liberal MPs — has vowed to make an economic stimulus package a priority, proposing a multibillion-dollar plan that would include help for the auto and forestry sectors.

With 77 Liberal MPs and 37 New Democrats, plus the support of 49 Bloc members, the three parties have more seats than the 143 held by the Tories.

[can-o-phish]

harper gets his wish. brutal

Yes, this is brutal indeed. He's a chicken-sh!t spineless coward who is trying to run and hide to save his own ass instead of trying to save the collective asses of Canada!

To prorogue parliament at the BEGINNING of a session shows how screwed up his government is and now sets a very dangerous precedent for future governments.

[Big Wooly Mammoth]

"A men less worthy to be Prime Minister I cannot imagine" Bob Rae on Stephen Harper just a few minutes ago.

Still waiting to hear if there are any conditions. Why was he in there for 90 minutes if she said yes?

This is unbelievable. My respect for Harper has gotten even lower than I imagined possible.

Harper is about to speak...

[mattm]

Since I don't entirely understand prorogue, can someone explain it to me? Does this mean that in this time when we really, really need something to get done, everything is put on hold until the end of january? Or is it not that bad, and why don't any of us have a say in it? I guess that would mean another election.

Also, if the whole financial crisis can wait until january to be dealt with then what's the big deal anyway? Doesn't seem like much of an emergency if we can just put it off for a couple months like that...

[Birdy]

Do you think his ass is saved? I don't. It better not be. I wonder what's going on inside of camp Conservative these days.

To overthrow government at the BEGINNING of a session shows how screwed up this system is too. And then to further that by forming a coalition that must rely on separatists to hold it together sets a very dangerous precedent for future governments.

This is a lose, lose, lose situation whichever way it fell.

[larry_llama]

this is fucking bullshit

speaking of undemocratic and unconstitutional!

what a fucking joke of a PM

this coalition needs to get its shit together and lead us out of this mess come january

wow. just fucking wow

[Big Wooly Mammoth]

So, the CP has 6 weeks to spread their lies and propaganda.

Even Peter Mansbridge said that Harper had lied in his speach last night. He didn't say that others claimed that Harper had lied. He reported it as a matter of fact. Which it was, but still...

[Birdy]

I have a question reading some of the comments on here...

What do you guys think Harper should have done?

If he didn't prorogue, do you think he should have pushed for an election?

Obviously he's not going to sit back and let the coalition come to fruition (thank god) (which is much more undemocratic in my opinion), so what other option did he have?

Edited December 4, 2008 by Guest

[Tissue Man]

This Cock introduces a confidence motion and then when it deosnt go his way he takes his ball and goes home..

how anyone thinks he is fit to be PM, even his own party, is beyond me.

dicksmack

[Big Wooly Mammoth]

Does this mean that in this time when we really, really need something to get done, everything is put on hold until the end of january?

yup - that's what it means

Also, if the whole financial crisis can wait until january to be dealt with then what's the big deal anyway? Doesn't seem like much of an emergency if we can just put it off for a couple months like that...

well, I don't think that it is best for our country to wait until January, but we no longer have a choice.

And now it likely that there will be vote of no confidence on Jan 26, so it'll take even longer. Either until the coalition takes over as the gov't, or we have another election.