OK, not really. Stephane Dion did meet with Stephen Harper today in Ottawa, if for no other reason than to see if there's any way he'll be able to jimmy his couch in through the front door next month, or if they'll need to take off the legs first.
The meeting went exactly as you'd think. Stephen Harper asked Dion to pinky-swear the Liberals will never, ever defeat him. Dion said we can't do that, we'll look at each bill you present on its merits. That wasn't good enough for Harper, naturally, so it's likely to an election we go.
Besides making the point quite well that Harper's demand for a blank check is “a joke” and defining what some of the election issues will be, I thought Dion make a good point on the by-elections. He made the point that Harper only had to call three by-elections, he had lots of time before he had to call Don Valley West:
Sunday he called a fourth (by-election) in Don Valley West, and then on Monday he started talking about a general election. I asked him what happened during that night to ask supporters to work a whole summer, to use the taxpayers' money, for nothing. But I didn't get an answer.
What did suddenly change? Did Parliament suddenly stop functioning overnight? Is there a reason why Harper wanted tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on a by-election he didn't have to call when he knew he would be pre-empting it with a general election?
Actually, there is. He doesn't care about wasting taxpayer dollars. Not if he can force the Liberals to expend financial resources on a by-election that will never happen. It's all part of his plan to destroy us and what not, just ask Tom Flanagan. But that's another post.
So, by this time next week we'll be in an election. Let the games begin. I'm looking forward to it, and I like our chances. Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers
5 comments:
I was hoping Stephane Dion was going to make a remark towards tom Flanigan's theory that Harper is just making an attempt to bleed more money from the Liberals and Canadian tax payers. However I am sure that these statements will come out in the media, because it goes to the exact heart of having a fixed election law.
As someone who thought Dion shouldn't have even bothered to meet with Harper, watching the after scrum and seeing how it went down makes me think those 15 minutes were worth every second. Thanks..
No Omar, Dion had to meet. Even if he had to go back on what he said about being unavailable until after harpers deadline.
Without the meeting Harper would have been able to say: look, see he went out of his way to make sure parliament isn't working.. won't even meet with me. Atleast Dion can spin now that he put off pressing business to go talk to harper and see if he could make it work.
But seriously did anyone think Duceppe would go talk to Harper and come back and not talk about how harper is being a bully and forcing an election that people don't want? Layton? Dion? Do you seriously believe that Harper would tout how well the meetings went without the supposed blank cheque that they say he wanted?
The 4 meetings this week were an exercise in spin on all sides. Nothing more than a mark on the checklist on the way to an election. The result a forgone conclusion.... for all 4, and planned before they got within days of the meetings.
I am kinda still wondering too...
If Dion has been calling for an election to happen this fall since back in the spring....
Why all the bluster about Harper giving him the election? I know both sides are just trying to spin....
But why aren't you thanking him for ending the evil conservative reign early so we can get back to having the benevolent liberals in power again?
Why all the bluster about Harper giving him the election?
Might have something to do with Harper doing it in the middle of four by-elections, including one he didn't have to call yet, as well as his crapping on the spirit, if not the letter, of his fixed election date law and flip-flopping on his pretty clear promises there.
Post a Comment