After watching a great interview with Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq on Power Play about the latest Tory health initiative to provide more doctors to rural Canadians, I couldn't help but notice the NDP claiming credit. Evidently this was one of Jack Layton's budget demands when he met with Stephen Harper last week, except that Jack demanded substantially more than the $40 million dollars pledged. Leona said that this initiative had been planned prior to the Layton-Harper meet and greet, though I'm sure that won't stop the media talking heads from speculating that the Tories are stealing NDP ideas.
Shouldn't the NDP be happy that something they support will be in the budget? I don't understand why they are saber rattling on this issue, but then again, a lot of what the NDP complains about doesn't make much sense...
NDP Leslie said "its a small start but 100 doctors arn't nearly enough."
ReplyDeleteYou can't make the NDP happy unless its THEIR idea. They want to appear relevant in the HOC.
It is not about making Jack happy but with something he can sell to his party and followers. They risk losing seats to the Liberals if they can't hold their recent gains in 2008.
ReplyDeleteThe CPC stand to pick off at least twenty seats from both but can't seem to eager or be the trigger so offering small targeted spending programs makes for good optics.
The CPC need to keep stating they don't want an election but keep campaigning and advertising as much as possible leading up to the budget vote.
Who will blink first the Liberals or the NDP?