My how time flies when you're having fun! I have been so consumed by the Olympics that the last two weeks has flown by like a flash. Suddenly I look at my calendar to see that Parliament is resuming next week, and I am actually excited. Maybe it is that I live in Vancouver and I would like to see things return to normal, or because Parliamentary discourse leads to an increased number of visitors to politically themed blogs. Blogging on a Team Canada Hockey game day is futile at best. When everybody wants to watch the Olympics (and certainly we witnessed monster ratings for the Vancouver Games) then poor little bloggers like me lose a large proportion of our audience.
People seem to have the greatest interest in my opinion when our politicians are yelling and screaming at each other on the floor of the House of Commons. This brief reprieve many people have enjoyed will soon be at an end, as politics as usual pops up again. Does anyone have any bold predictions for next week? I am expecting a tactical partnership between Layton and Ignatieff, I'm just not sure how they will play it and whether or not the Bloc will be included. I suspect that Iggy and Jack would like to force the government to solicit support for Duceppe.
What unexpected moves do you think we might see from the government?
I think we will see an election, for this is the best chance that Steven Harper is going to get. If he wants a majority now is the the only time has.
ReplyDeleteIf he does not get a majority this time that will be it for him, he really has no choice. He either wins a Majority or he will have to step aside for someone who can Win A Majority.
That leaves Peter MacKay to take over the Tory Party if Harper loses or is dumped.
“I think we will see an election, for this is the best chance that Steven Harper is going to get.” Thank you for your contribution today anonymous, but you are wrong. Being nearly tied in the polls does not represent a “best chance” scenario. Also “if he wants a majority now is the the only time has” is not an accurate statement because polling numbers do not indicate that a majority government is within reach at this particular time.
ReplyDeleteAlso, shacking up with Belinda was not a strong career move for Peter. I do not think he has a reasonable chance at winning a nomination.
I actually think we could see an election.
ReplyDeleteWho's going to vote for the budget ? Iggy won't. NDP and BQ would but they would want to make a deal to spend more money.
Harper isn't a deal maker and needs to be seen as slaying the deficit.
Also we're not tied in the polls. We're at 33.4 in the EKOS. Except they have a history of lowballing us by -3%, its even worse now that they include "other".
Our 2008 result was 37.6 and was only a handful away from a majority. That's where we are now.
A superior organization, superior fundraising, and a good crop of candidates could take us to a majority if we ran a good campaign.
If the oppo votes for the budget then fine no election. If they try to mess us around then we should go to the polls !
Shadow, I said "nearly tied", and I don't trust EKOS. We are probably looking at a 35% to 30% gap right now in reality. With margin of errors, that's close enough to say "nearly tied".
ReplyDelete''..I suspect that Iggy and Jack would like to force the government to solicit support for Duceppe..''
ReplyDeleteUnless the BLOC will be 'useful' for Iffy.
As the Dippers are always 'useful' to Iffy.
I wonder Layton ever gets tired of being used?
ANYTIME from the budget forward, will be a good time for an election.
Budget 2010, 2011 or 2012.....
Time can not fix what Iffy is lacking.
imo, the government is in the groove, and it will be a good year for the Conservatives,
ReplyDeleteand their supporters.
Yes, unfortunately the whole sorry lot will be heading back to parliament to rain on everybody's parade. Canadians seemed to be having a great time during the Olympics; waving flags and showing pride in their country. Now we can go back to being told by our politicians that we are a bunch of losers with a rights- violating military, a government of abortion denying anti-feminists, a population of racists who refuse to fund every dictatorship in the world, a pack of knuckle-dragging climate deniers, and a herd of lazy, underachieving loafers who are falling behind in national productivity.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone miss the political sideshow? I wish Harper had prorogued the whole corrupt, useless, money-wasting assembly of clowns for at least another two years.