This morning I was reading yet another article about the Federal Liberal plans to gain power (click on the title to read the article). The topic-du-jour? A coalition with whomever will deliver them power.
One thought struck me: What if the Federal Liberals spent as much energy and time talking and strategizing about governance and policy as they do posturing for power?
Imagine...
The media would be reporting on policy and blogs would be discussing it.
Committees would actually work.
Perhaps the following issues might show some progress: Stewardship of fisheries in Canada. National Defense. Federal / Co-operation on taxation in areas such as fuel taxes & transportation infrastructure funding. Health Care. Crime prevention. Immigration efficiency. You name it. All I can see is that the Liberals oppose not on principles, but for the sake of opposition.
If they spent half the effort on making parliament work that they spend on plotting its downfall, so many things would already be accomplished. For this reason I wish for a Conservative majority parliament.
Not don't get me wrong... Do I think the Liberals are the only problem in parliament? No... what with Jack Layton announcing that the NDP would vote against last year's budget without even knowing what's in it, and the Bloc's single-minded dedication to Quebec interests and separation.
It's a wonder anything gets done at all.
And, as I close, a shout out to Mr. Harper for such excellent work on the international scene lately... TOTALLY AGREE with the rejection of a bank tax! Thank you Steven!
35 opinions/comments:
Let's face it, the likelihood of either thew Libs or NDP doing anything of consequence - much less courage - are pretty much zero. There is not one iota of leadership in either group, and Harper knows it. He's laughing all the way to the bank, and he'll run with this as far and as fast as he can.
Unless the non-CPC parties merge there is not a chance that we'll be rid of him soon. He'll watch them continue to split the vote in just enough ridings to lose, lose, and lose again.
Well, Barry, what is your solution then? We have an ex-pat Canadian who thinks he knows what's best for us, and a dipper who think's he knows what's best for himself and the unions. At least Harper is doing what he thinks is best for Canada, and I respect him for that. And on the international scene, he's the most respected and respectable legate we've had in decades. Frankly, I don't see what the naysayers have to complain about.
"And on the international scene, he's the most respected and respectable legate we've had in decades."
Not by anyone that I respect on the international scene. His stance on reproductive rights alone discredits him with most people working on international issues, as does his constant sucking up to the American government.
Solution? I don't have one. The Libs and NDP have lost any credibility - just try asking any card carrying NDP to tell you what, exactly, the party stands for. They won't have an answer.
The Libs aren't much better. I challenge any Liberal here to state even one principle that is so important to the party that Iggy would actually pull the plug and bring down the government.
He's had more than few chances to do that, some of them on petty fundamental issues, and has refused every single time.
Prorogation, the Afghanistan debacle, the off limits political staffers, reproductive rights - any of those are important enough that the Libs and NDP should bring the government down.
If they haven't done that they are either cowards or actually support the Harper regime.
Or even pretty fundamental issues...
the latest headline:
"Harper’s message tool reveals ‘hyper-extreme' political control: critics"
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harpers-message-tool-reveals-hyper-extreme-political-control-critics/article1594049/
It is only a matter of time until the voters turn on Harper.
"If you're dissatisfied with the progress he has made on matters like crime and health care, I would suggest that he is the one to be frustrated with."
Since Parliament returned after the Olympics there have been 30+ pieces of legislation that have been referred to committee... None of those have been returned to the House.
The Lib/Dip/Bloc coalition is blocking every piece of legislation in the commitees where they can dominate without having to face an election.
Actually, it is the Conservatives who stall the committee work. They even published an extensive guide on how to disrupt the committee system.
They fought and lost the commttee hearing the detainee affair and have had to produce the documents.
Next up is the refusal to let staff attend hearings as witnesses, in clear violation of the Committee's right to supoena witnesses.
And, quite frankly, most of the 'delay' of government legislation relates directly to the prorogation of Parliament, all government bills dying on the order paper as a result.
The Cons reap what they sow and slowly the population is turning away from them. The reality now is that they can't win a majority and a smaller minority will be the end of Harper.
Nanos, Decima, Ekos, and Mustell are all saying that the Conservatives are sitting with as large a lead as they had when Dion was at his worst. I'm curious where you get your grand statement that "the population is turning away from them".
The Conservatives are challenging the witness system because the Libs/Dips/Bloc are subpeonaing them enmasse. Not simply on one committee to get at the bottom of one issue, they are doing it across the board as a party tactic on all committees. Is that what they are hired to do? Wasting time and money disingenuously calling staff witnesses at taxpayers expenses on both ends? Really?
"The Conservatives are challenging the witness system because the Libs/Dips/Bloc are subpeonaing them enmasse"
You mean like the way that the Tories did when they were in opposition?
WTF does this have to do with North Vancouver politics?
Yeah, it's not like Andrew Saxton is doing anything....
Yeah, north vancouver is part of the Milky Way so I should just start commenting on it right here.
The Milky Way, or simply the Galaxy, is the galaxy in which the Solar System is located. It is a barred spiral galaxy that is part of the Local Group of galaxies. It is one of billions of galaxies in the observable universe. Its name is a translation of the Latin Via Lactea, in turn translated from the Greek Γαλαξίας (Galaxias), referring to the pale band of light formed by stars in the galactic plane as seen from Earth (see etymology of galaxy).
Good evening everyone! Sorry to take so long on the spam, but I can't baby-site the blog all day while I'm at work.
Heather - a shout out for you - it has been a long time!
Anon - in case you haven't checked... North Vancouver is part of Canada and therefore the Federal Government affects us... we also have a local MP - Andrew Saxton - you should meet him!
Others - some I agree with, some not. But you're all kind of proving my point - much of the talk is about POWER not policy.. For my part, most of the time the Libs are talking about anything remotely policy related it's because they think it's either a wedge-issue or a scandal. Why? so they can get POWER.
Sheesh. Don't we all agree that we have things that need fixing... like too much crime and drugs. I get it that we don't agree on what to do about it, but doing nothing? That's not the answer.
And has anyone watched the committee work on TV/youtube? Unbelievable! You could put Heather and I in a fight-cage with jeering fans and then have us duke it out over same-sex-marriage and we'd be 10 x more civil and productive than these guys!
(Nothing personal Heather, but we both know we don't agree on that issue!).
"And has anyone watched the committee work on TV/youtube"
URL?
Yeah - I need a life...
Here are a few:
Senators Behaving Badly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9NEwFpVWjE
Senators Behaving Badly 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am105zYdJDY&feature=related
Unbelievable...
Oops - I stand corrected - Andrew seems to have the role of class clown:
"Mr. Speaker, since this government came to power in 2006, we have fought to strengthen the openness and transparency of public institutions in Canada. Since then we have not backed away from our commitment one bit. If anything, we have strengthened it. We believe Canadians have a right to know what goes on behind the scenes in government, departments and agencies. Our record demonstrates our commitment to that principle."
Senators 1 - The Conservative senator didn't understand the procedural rules on a point of order ruling... Rather than explain it, or rather than answering the question, the Chair just shut him out and cut off his microphone. The Chair was correct in his ruling, but he has no idea how to really manage a meeting.
Senators 2 - The objection from Tchachuck was reasonable, and followed procedural rules. The chair should have stopped the meeting, had the clerk verify if the motion was the same as the earlier motion from a previous meeting, and if so then the they should revote with the new requirements being recognized. Instead the chair ruled against the point of order without investigating the legitimate claim and then had to pick up the pieces of his bad decision.
The Chair has great book knowledge of meeting procedures, but he is obviously too proud and doesn't know how to handle a challenge.
It's too bad he shut off the guys mic, I want to here his fine unparliamentary language.
The senator should have been upset, the chair of the meeting was being a pompous ass. I give him full marks for unflappability.
Brian Mulroney and his 'Progressive Conservatives' clinched the sell-out of Canada to the U.S.A. with his U.S.-backed push of NAFTA. John Diefenbaker started the ball-rolling years before. You can see Harper's "sucking up to the American government" almost on a daily basis, especially with shameful foreign policy. Harper continues the sell-out and he is not fighting for Canada. I would never support the 'Conservatives' on this principle if nothing else. Don't be fooled. No Federal party has an angelic aura but, I'd sooner stick with Liberal principles that are more in line with what Canada was built on than that of the U.S.A.
" I'd sooner stick with Liberal principles"
Liberal principles?
Sorry, I'm splitting a gut. Yahoo,Hooo, Hooo, arrrgghh, that's a good one.
Yeah John, name one. A principle so important that Iggy would actually pull off a non-confidence vote.
Seriously John,
"You can see Harper's 'sucking up to the American government' almost on a daily basis, "
Really? Pictures of Ignatieff and Obama with their arm around each other don't cause you concern?
The Bank tax is probably the biggest foreign policy debate happening this week, and it clearly has Harper at odds with the US administration. If Harper were sucking up as you suggest he would support the tax and support deregulation of the banks.
North Van Politics lurches back to life, there must be an election coming.
Rumblings in the media re the Libs and Dippers consolidating into one party as individually, neither has a prayer against the Cons.
Now that would clarify the political landscape - left, right or provincial separatist.
What an interesting scrap.
Haven't been round here in a long time. Glad to see it's still a bunch of middle aged white guys arguing over which of two terrible parties should lead the country. The more things change...
You can tell the posters are "middle aged white guys" by reading the print on the page? That's incredible!
I wonder what Heather K must think?
And me....
Mr/Ms. Anons 8:31 Pm, June 8th and 7:42 AM, Jne 9.
Yeah, yeah laugh all you want. I think you dam well know that we have steamy piles of you know what to choose from Federally so it's a matter of holding your nose and choosing the least stinky pile. I don't like any of them. I'm just saying that, in my opinion the Libs represent Canadian values the most over all. Period.
So if they amalgamate with the NDP would you still support them?
He's rubbing shoulders with dippers on the anti-HST campaign, so I'm sure he'd gladly cozy up to them Federally.
John, I'll ask again: what Canadian values? As far as I can tell Iggy has rolled over every time the Tories did something that old-time Liberals would have objected to.
Is there ANYTHING so important that the Libs of today would feel moved to actually pull off a non-confidence vote?
Yes, of course there is.
Once the Liberals have funding to run an election and decent polling numbers, they will force a non confidence vote. The actual bill used to defeat the government is immaterial.
So to suggest the Libs are without principle is incorrect. Their principle is the quest of power.
Once Justin's knives have been driven deeper into Iggy, you'll see that beautiful principle come to fruition.
The Liberal Party of Canada's overwhelming principle has always been power and nothing but with everything else far far behind so this talk of the NDP should surprise no one.
However it's not a simple matter of adding votes from column A and moving them to column B - never has been never will.
Both the Conservatives and NDP have always been about principles with 2010 being unusual in terms of Harper bending his to continue in a minority government.
Nothing really newsworthy about that!
How do you square the belief that Harper has principles with the fact that he and his MP's have joined forces with the other hard working, dedicated parliamentarians to spurn the very legitimate efforts of Sheila Fraser?
Isn't it great to know that Andrew is up there fighting to prevent us taxpayers from seeing how he and his buddies are spending our money?
Barry, You are right. And it's the old-time Liberals that I (not clearly) make reference to. The history of the Liberal Party shows more of a fight for Canada spirit than, as you say the Iggy Liberals of today.
I'll also say again we were sold out to the U.S. years ago by Mulroney and NAFTA; a comment that isn't acknowledged but, which is the plain simple truth. Canada is a great place to live and a great country but, is really no more than a 51st state. I will still continue to defend, fight for Canadain values. Unfortunately it doesn't really matter who we elect any more because it is history that our resources, economy, etc., etc., are mostly owned south of the 49th.
The recent Anti-HST Citizen's Initiative is wonderful example of Democracy in action. I am proud to have been a part of it. The resignation of Peace River South MLA Blair Lekstrom (minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources)yesterday is faantaastik!One down, six more to go to fall this government. This is an exciting time in B.C. politics.
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