Canada General Discussion

[RogueBeaver]

If anyone's interested, Mulcair will be on Tout le monde en parle tonight.

[RogueBeaver]

He forgot cap n'trade, but otherwise agreed.

http://www.vancouversun.com/Mulcair%2Bpaved%2Bpath%2BSussex/6428318/story.html

[RogueBeaver]

NDP soaring in Quebec.

http://www.hilltimes.com/news/politics/2012/04/11/ndp-lead-all-parties-in-quebec-with-mulcair-as-leader/30412

Unless he becomes PM, yes.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1159792--walkom-can-the-ndp-s-stubborn-thomas-mulcair-keep-his-french-passport

[RogueBeaver]

Mulcair said on QP that his new Shadow Cabinet will be unveiled next Monday. Might not get much attention thanks to Alberta.

On the Charter stuff: Liberals are imitating Diefenbaker's stance on the Red Ensign on that and other issues. Harper has changed our culture, adapt or (politically) die. Really.

[RogueBeaver]

With the possible exception of the Bourassa blowhard, I can't think of any Pelciquistes who don't tow the Trudeauvian line on this subject.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/04/19/jeff-jedras-thomas-mulcair-federalist-champion-opens-opportunity-for-liberals/

[Holmes]

I'm pretty impressed with how Horwath is handling the budget. It's the Liberals' budget, but with the Tories firmly in the no category, Horwath is seen as the adult and is getting a lot of (more good than bad) press about her proposals. Doesn't hurt that the proposals are popular ones, too. New Forum poll shows Tories at 34, Dippers at 31 and Grits at 28. Hopefully when the electorate remembers Hudak is the leader of the PCs, they'll run away from them.

[RogueBeaver]

She's not stupid, and forcing an election would be stupid from the NDP's POV. She can't prop him up forever though, as the fates of Iggy and David Lewis would remind her.

[Senator MaxQue]

Apparently, the big lines of the NDP new shadow cabinet is:

Deputy leaders: Libby Davies, David Chistopherson and Megan Leslie.
Parlimentary leader: Nathan Cullen.

[RogueBeaver]

3 deputy leaders? Yeesh. Cullen's a good choice for House Leader though. Dewar and Nash are also resuming their previous roles at Finance and Foreign Affairs while Turmel becomes Chief Whip.

On another note, remind me why Harper hasn't fired MacKay yet. My best guess is that he's stripping away many of his powers while letting him twist in the wind. "Resignation by humiliation"- in which case it depends what lasts longer: the PM's patience or MacKay's self-regard.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/04/19/john-ivison-peter-mackays-defence-reign-could-end-with-latest-dnd-embarrassment/

[Senator MaxQue]

Because MacKay has no power, as all other ministers.
All power is obviously held by the PMO.

[RogueBeaver]

Because MacKay has no power, as all other ministers.
All power is obviously held by the PMO.

The ministers who Harper trusts have power. Even those who aren't on P&P like Ambrose, Finley and Raitt. Long past time that Harper end this spectacle and put someone else in there.

[Judäischen Volksfront]

Harper's governing style really reminds me of the Soviet or Chinese Politburo more than it does a Westminster Parliamentary system.

[RogueBeaver]

Chretien was the same way- plenty of scandalous ministers (Jane Stewart anyone?) who he didn't fire because it would be admitting weakness. Most strong PMs with autocratic tendencies are. Martin had sloppy Cabinet discipline and it showed. Mulroney had a more relaxed leadership style in his first term but later admitted in his memoirs that with hindsight, Chretien's approach was better.

[Holmes]

She's not stupid, and forcing an election would be stupid from the NDP's POV. She can't prop him up forever though, as the fates of Iggy and David Lewis would remind her.

She knows it. Not that an election would be bad for the NDP - it would be bad for everyone. It's just been six months. But if she can get some of her proposals in, get press, and watch the NDP rise in the polls, why not milk it?

[Smid]

She's not stupid, and forcing an election would be stupid from the NDP's POV. She can't prop him up forever though, as the fates of Iggy and David Lewis would remind her.

She knows it. Not that an election would be bad for the NDP - it would be bad for everyone. It's just been six months. But if she can get some of her proposals in, get press, and watch the NDP rise in the polls, why not milk it?

Prop the government up for eighteen months or two years so she can say "I've tried to work with them but the Premier is being stubborn and refusing to compromise for the benefit of the workers of Ontario who are doing it tough in this economic climate" as a justification when the time comes.

[RogueBeaver]

At Issue tonight: the prison announcements and Chretien's merger support. I agreed with Coyne on merger- it will not happen before the next election, if that. Disagree with Hebert that Rae has worn out his welcome, since there's no one else in caucus willing to jump in.

[You kip if you want to...]

Chretien's merger support.

Desperate.

People should be calling for electoral reform, not a merger, but whatever.

[Marokai]

Electoral reform is, like, too complicated.

[Χahar]

Of course all the Liberals are for merger; it's the easiest way to get back into power despite the opinion of the electorate.

[RogueBeaver]

I happen to think the Liberals and NDP aren't quite so ideologically compatible. Indeed, on economic, defence and national unity issues they're closer to we Tories. And as Coyne pointed out last night, they would have about as much influence in the new party as the old PCs do in ours. Namely none.

[You kip if you want to...]

I happen to think the Liberals and NDP aren't quite so ideologically compatible. Indeed, on economic, defence and national unity issues they're closer to we Tories. And as Coyne pointed out last night, they would have about as much influence in the new party as the old PCs do in ours. Namely none.

I agree. From what I know about the Liberals and the NDP, it'd work as well as Labour merging with the Liberal Democrats...

[RogueBeaver]

Yep. If the Liberals hope for a comeback it won't be through cheap gimmicks like this.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/04/20/pol-mulcair-position-on-marijuana-decriminalization.html

[Hatman]

It certainly made me second guess my support of Mulcair initially.

[Holmes]

The Young Liberals are such potheads.

[RogueBeaver]

IIRC they tried to push through C&T before Rae shot that down. So yeah, don't trust them to judge the politics of policy.

Another Coyne idea was for the Grits to hoist the national unity banner and run against the NDP's opposition to the Clarity Act. While I entirely agree with the principle, that's an electoral nonstarter in ROQ.