Today Jack Layton declared that Canadian voters gave him a "mandate for change" on election day, as though he is suddenly going to pass all kinds of legislation to shake up the country. Jack, it was great that you had this historic night, but has anyone told you that the Conservatives won a strong majority? The Tories got the mandate from the voters, not the NDP. What you won was first place in line to complain. The NDP can't actually do anything without the support of the governing party. Good luck getting Stephen Harper to agree to a carbon tax.
That being said, it is shrewd to come out of the box with policy instead repeating the mistake of Ignatieff, refusing to unveil policy and take no firm positions in the first year of his reign of errors. The Liberals were simply reactionary, and look where it has taken them as a party. By the time Thinkapalooza came around, impressions had already been set. Their demise has been a slow and agonizing death. The NDP are not repeating the same strategic mistake, but going so far as to say they won a mandate is a bit rich.
I watched his speech last night. He stood up there and spoke as if he won the election. Then again, I guess it probably felt that way for a party that has only once even cracked 40 seats, let alone 100 seats in Parliament.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fly-by-night win for the NDP, so they will have to get their act together, big time.
ReplyDeleteI am happy that Quebec decided, en masse (again), to have a real vote in Ottawa, despite what I might prefer as their correct choice ... whatever.... Glad they have eschewed a separatist and narrowly ideological party.
I am not sure that Jack is totally up to managing this, but I am not unhappy that he has the chance, as the BLOC and Liberals were really being destructive. Basically, Jack by luck and wind-in-his-sails managed his coalition without the Liberals or BLOC through the vote! It is a crazy vote, but whatever .. The shift to involvement is all good. Jack may not be in the 2015 election, though, and Thomaas Mulcair does not have the same cache.
4 years!!!!! By then, hopefully, the Libs will have licked their wounds and recovered a bit. At some point, Canada will want to "throw the bums out", but I hope it will be to a recovered Liberal party in 8-12 years, never the NDP.
I believe that PM Harper will eventually go down in history as the one of the best PMs after McDonald. Others will argue Pearson, but his times were easy and he signed us on to un-funded entitlements.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvX_5ym_ajI
Taliban Jacko is going have a huge problems, as his caucus think they have a mandate. Libby Davies is going ballistist over the idea that the (rejected in two provinces) proportional representation system will be an agenda item! NOT I am sure they are all deluded into thinking that all sorts of wild, expensive legislation will be considered.
ReplyDeleteFor years the ndp has got elected by promising to influence the govt re budget deals or whatever, and making promises they never had to keep. OOPS, this year the did it again and got OLO. They had more power with fewer MPs than they have now, What are they going to do, threaten no confidence if they don't get their way. I think he is going to have a huge problem controlling his separatists, communists, protesters, and real ndpers. Him standing up there saying I have confidence in the voters of Quebec who elected these MPs. Bet most of them haven't a clue who they voted for, but once the HofC is back we will all have a good laugh. Jack will need that cane to keep them in line.
ReplyDeleteunfortunately for the ndp the voters in quebec are as fickle as a teenage girl. they will dump the current favourite at the drop of a hat. next time around they might even vote liberal. it was nice to see the bloc get their collective asses kicked.
ReplyDeleteI think if the CPC were to offer Layton's Quebec caucus free PS3's (or Xboxes) and/or IPads, they could probably get half of them to cross the floor, thereby taking the wind out of their sails.
ReplyDeleteO yes anony, they will go Liberal in a heartbeat with a Quebec leader.
ReplyDeleteYes Jack gets to ask the first question in question period.That is it.Less power than they had before the election. A few more dollars to spend as the official opposition,but that is it.Why the Press do not call him on his stupid remarks is beyond me.Maybe the first day they can be put in their place and told quite gently that they are opposition and Conservatives are the Government.If they have good ideas,write them down and send them to the PM.If they are good for Canada they will be implemented,if not into the garbage bin.Start Parliament fresh with new ground rules and don,t let the opposition waste Parliaments time with gotcha questions and grandstanding.Again I think John Baird should be the new speaker of the house.
ReplyDeleteFoxtrot: about right
ReplyDeleteMary T: I think Harper actually likes Jack - at least he read the budget before trashing it! This majority government will work, as we will not have daily scandals and committees will be able to work. This makes me smile, as the CPC will not have to be on the defensive so much with fake Bev Oda "scandals". I am elated that her constituents elected her again by a wide margin!
ReplyDeleteBertie: Jack is in back in subsidized housing again! He will be happy.
ReplyDeleteWhats ironic is, many mps won their individual ridings with less then 40%, we have a majority govt with 40% of the popular vote, and, this is the best part, the NDP has doubled their seat count from the previous sitting and is now for the first time in its histoy the official oppostion, and, it had more power a week ago when it was the 4rth place party...what a system.
ReplyDeleteThe NDP have a serious "herding the cats" issue with the new Quebec MP's. Being young people, they will want to get there in a hurry - I have visions of caucus revolt, sit ins, hunger strikes and chaining themselves to statues on Parliament Hill. Think G20 and then think NDP. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is any question that Layton is going to have some problems. One thing that will be interesting is to watch is how he controls his caucus. How much will the MSM let slide? For now, it's wait and see.
ReplyDeleteThere is another issue that should not be forgotten. Where did the NDP constitution go? It was published and on their website but it was removed.
My reading of NDP Quebec is that the Bloc was viewed as not being able to squeeze enough from Canada , and Quebec voters listened to the NDP and Liberal media about English Canada wanting change , misread the sentiment outside Quebec and voted strategically for the NDP thinking there would be a NDP led coalition ... but it didn't turn out that way.
ReplyDeleteLayton has a real problem now. He has a bunch of neophyte members some of whom have absolutely no clue , and on top of that he has ZERO power ... no seats in the Senate and a Tory majority ... so all he can do is sit and fume.
He has a some members elected in Quebec , who do not live in the ridings and do not speak French , which should prove interesting in ridings with strong separatist sentiments.
He also somehow has to maintain control of these neophytes who are going to step into every cow-pie for quite a while.
Quebec voted NDP because the Bloc had not squeezed enough from English Canada , so they turn to the NDP with all Layton's wild promises like making French mandatory across Canada , opening the Constitution in Quebec's favour etc. , however given that Layton has ZERO power with a Tory majority and ZERO seats in the Senate , all he can do is sit and fume ... meanwhile back at the ranch (Quebec) the natives will be restless getting nothing for their NDP support !!!!
Talk about a BIG problem ... but of course the MSM cannot even see the impending NDP train wreck.
... have fun Jack.
I think you're right Brian . They were betting heavy on a coalition . Luckily ? for the rest of us it never happened .
ReplyDeleteJack read wrong speech. He forgets 167 CPC MPs mean he is in a weaker position.
ReplyDeleteWe can now pass legislation quickly in both houses without much fanfare.
LGR protests from NDP will be fun to watch.