Video: Opposition leaders press conference

I wasn't at home this afternoon to click record on the opposition leaders press conference, but luckily it coincided with my pre-set recording of the Don Newman broadcast, so while I missed the beginning of Stéphane Dion's opening statement, I did get the bulk of the presser. Of course, it took some doing to get 30 minutes of footage down under the YouTube 10 minute limit for non-directors, so here are the highlights:

(BTW, watch the reaction of the unknown journalist in line when the guy from Sun Media asks a ridiculously-slanted question, jerking his head around in a WTF?! kinda way. It's priceless. Around 6:19)

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Michael, Bob and Dominic stand behind Stéphane

Unfortunately I'm not at home so I couldn't grab the video, but here's the transcript of the presser Michael Ignatieff, Dominic LeBlanc and Bob Rae just held following the Liberal caucus meeting that UNANIMOUSLY confirmed Stéphane Dion as the only choice to lead our party and our country in this future coalition government.

Don't believe the Conservative spin machine planting lies with friendly media sources: The Liberal Party is united behind Stéphane Dion.

Dominic LeBlanc: [Voice of translator]: We had a caucus meeting that was an extremely important one and two things came out of that meeting. The caucus fully agrees with the idea of a coalition government. The agreement that was presented received unanimous support -- and also from the members of the caucus and the other issue which is very important, that we decided that the only person and the best person to lead and form a coalition government is the leader of our party, the elected leader of the opposition, Stéphane Dion, and we support that and that's the best way to proceed.

The leadership campaign will continue and it will be a campaign that is positive and we have already had discussions and the process will continue and Mr. Dion will be the Prime Minister of this coalition government with the support of the unanimous support of the caucus.

Michael Ignatieff: [Voice of translator]: We will continue the leadership race in the normal fashion and I want to emphasize as my friend Dominic has just done and Bob as well, that there's total agreement within the caucus.

We're behind the idea of this agreement because it's based on fiscal responsibility, first of all, and on the national unity of this country as well. And it's a liberal document, it's fundamentally a liberal document, and that's why I support it enthusiastically. And I also want to say that the only leader who can lead us in this context is the elected leader of the party, Stéphane Dion.

I support the accord because it’s fiscally responsible and it provides responsible economic leadership in tough times and it also conserves the basic principles of national unity and equality that our party has always believed in. I've also made it clear and we are at one, the three of us, that the only person who can lead the country is the duly elected leader of the (party), Mr. Stéphane Dion. And, finally, the leadership race will continue in an orderly, civil manner as previously agreed.

Bob Rae: In my experience it was truly an historic caucus meeting and it was very positive and very upbeat and very moving, in fact. And I think that a recognition on our part that Mr. Harper has clearly lost the confidence of the House of Commons, that a majority of the House of Commons wants to form a new government, which is perfectly constitutional and legitimate.

And also an agreement that we also have a constitutional leader, Mr. Dion, who has every right to assume the leadership of the government until such time as a new leader of the Liberal Party is chosen and that date has been set for Vancouver at the end of April, the beginning of May, and the leadership race will continue in the same positive and constructive spirit with which it so successfully has begun. So thank you very much.

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Duffy: Liberal caucus united behind Stéphane Dion

From moments ago, Mike Duffy reporting on CTV Newsnet:

Mike: Well, I've just had a word from across the street at the Liberal caucus, which is still underway, but it's about to break up. Stephane Dion met with Bob Rae, Michael Ignatieff and Dominic Leblanc this morning. He showed them the terms of the deal that he, Mr. Dion's staff and he had been working on with the NDP.

They agreed that the terms were good and they went to the Liberal caucus, where they – we are told unanimously said that they support Mr. Dion in being the leader and in this deal going ahead he will be the Prime Minister on an interim basis until the liberal convention in Vancouver in May and that they're going to write a letter to the Governor-General telling her that the opposition parties no longer have confidence in the government and that they've all agreed that Stephane Dion is the man and that there are terms of an arrangement that would guarantee political stability over the next two and a half years. Liberal-ndp coalition with the bloc on the outside but offering their support for a period of 30 months so that the new government can get into place.

Just repeating that, the three liberal leadership contenders met, Stephane Dion this morning, saw and we are told approved of the terms of the arrangement with the NDP. They then took that message to the Liberal caucus, which will break any minute now, but undoubtedly, that will be the word coming out, the next step is to send the message to the Governor-General who is overseas but essentially it all turns on the opposition parties defeating the government on the vote a week from today.

Scott: Mike, does this handcuff the Liberal leadership liberal leadership candidates in any way?

Mike: We're not clear. Obviously the liberal leadership race will go ahead. We are not clear whether or not members -- whether Mr. (Rae) and Mr. Ignatieff and Mr. Leblanc will have roles as cabinet ministers or whether they will be free to campaign. I think the view early this morning was that Mr. Rae thought you could. I think Mr. Ignatieff had a slightly different view, ie, that it would be better not to be in cabinet, so they would be free full-time to cross the country and meet liberal delegates. So that part isn't clear yet, Scott, but as soon as they come out I'm sure we'll get an answer to that question as well.

Liberal caucus just about to wrap up but as i say, the interim deal approved by the three leadership candidates -- and they've brought their endorsement of Stephane Dion as the new Prime Minister of Canada to the Liberal caucus meeting now underway.

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Mon chef est Stéphane Dion

According to reports last night from the CBC, the opposition parties have reached agreement to defeat the Conservatives and form a coalition government. What the reports make unclear is just who will serve as Prime Minister. I would like to state unequivocally that, in my view, the leader must be Stéphane Dion.

Mr. Dion is the duly elected leader of our party, and in my view, to propose any other person to lead the coalition would be undemocratic, and it would be unacceptable to the rank and file of the Liberal Party. Now if the BQ or the NDP would be unwilling to support a coalition with Dion as leader, that would be something we'd have to carefully consider. But let me be clear: were our own caucus to propose any other person to lead this coalition than Dion it would be unacceptable, intolerable, and just plain stupid. We must stand behind our leader. And Stéphane deserves this chance to serve Canada, as he has all his political career, with honour and with dignity.

Now, Dion has already announced his intention to resign in May, and I've had no indication that he is considering revisiting that decision. So it would seem logical that, no matter what happens with a potential coalition, the leadership process will continue. That makes it even more logical for Dion to continue to serve as Liberal leader and, therefore, as coalition leader and Prime Minister. As a neutral leadership figure not tied to any leadership camp, he can rise above the ongoing leadership debate and focus all his energies on the good of the country.

Let me add that, if for some unforeseen reason, and the only acceptable one I can think of would be a strident demand of the NDP and BQ, Dion can't lead this coalition, then no way in hell should it be one of the leadership candidates. That would be madness. The leadership must be decided by the membership of the Liberal Party, period. And I don't see how the leadership process could continue with one of the candidates serving as PM. Espically now, that's a full-time job. So it would mean a short-circuiting of the membership's right to chose, and that's unacceptable.

I support Michael Ignatieff in the leadership race. When we have delegate selection meetings I will vote for him, I will stand as an Ignatieff delegate and, if selected, I will go to Vancouver to cast my vote for Michael in May. But until that convention selects a new leader, my leader is Stéphane Dion, and I stand behind him 100 per cent.

So too, by the way, does Michael Ignatieff. He has said so repeatedly and publicly. Yesterday I posted two interviews Michael did Sunday, one on CBC News Sunday and the other on CTV's Question Period. In the CTV one in particular, Jane Taber repeatedly tried to goad him into showing disloyalty. Michael steadfastly refused. Stéphane, he said, is the leader of our party. Period. He also launched a passionate defence of Stéphane when Taber tried to disgustingly paint him as colluding with separatists and threatening Canadian unity:

“Do you seriously suppose, that a man like Mr. Dion, who has fought separatism, fought for the unity of Canada, fought to make Canada strong, and to defend the necessary powers of the federal government, is going to trade any of that away to anybody? I just don't think that's a plausible hypothesis.”

There was real passion in Michael's voice there, and I was happy and proud to see that Michael has Stéphane's back.

There's going to be a lot of crap planted by the Conservatives over the next week as they desperately try to cling to power and tear this coalition apart. Crap like the lies they've planted in the National Post last night, alleging disloyalty by Ignatieff. It's just not true. Any reasonable person knows that. Even Bob Rae confirms the stories are false.

This is the Conservative spin machine and dirty tricks squad trying to sow disunity in Liberal ranks. Don't fall for it. Don't play into their hands. It's vital that we ignore this BS and stay together as a party, united behind our leader, Stéphane Dion. Those attacking your fellow Liberals with phony stories planted by our enemies will only hurt the Liberal Party, and reflect poorly on the candidate you purport to support.

As Michael said in yesterday's interviews, let's keep our eyes on the prize. This is about Stephen Harper, and his total lack of empathy and understanding for the concerns of Canadians. It's about this government's total lack of action to deal with this economic crisis. And it's about giving Canadians the government they deserve.

Let's stay focused.

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Bob Rae confirms Ivison's anti-Ignatieff stories just aren't true

Bob Rae did Canada AM this morning, and set the record straight on the false rumours planted in John Ivison's National Post column. Clearly these rumours were Conservative plants, designed to sow distension in Liberal ranks and distract us from the real issue: Stephen Harper's incompetence economic management.

But here's Bob, in his own words, from Canada AM this morning. Who are you going to believe on these rumours, John Ivison's unnamed sources or Bob Rae?

Seamus: Let's talk seriously about. -- You met with your leadership rivals and with Stephane Dion. Is that all true?

Bob: No, that's wrong. That's the first thing that's wrong in the story. Mr. Dion wasn't there. Mr. Dion was in Ottawa. We were in Toronto.

Seamus: That's why we have on you on the show.

Bob: Exactly.

Seamus: What did you talk about? What was discussed?

Bob: We talked simply about how serious the situation was, how none of us had anticipated that we'd number this situation. Earlier in the week. There you are. We were waiting for the outcome of the discussions with the other two opposition parties. As we were chatting those discussions were still ongoing. So we really just talked generally about how we needed to focus and how we needed to make sure that there continued to be unity in the party. And that while it was important for democracy that in the party that you know we all be able to talk through and work
through the leadership campaign and continue with that. The most important thing was to work in a disciplined and focused way and do whatever we can to support the party. At this time of great challenge.

Seamus: I have to ask you. The headline on the National Post is pointed. NDP Liberal plan would see Ignatieff as PM and Rae, Leblanc agree to step aside.

Bob: No, there was no discussion of that. I mean that was not at all decided. And that was never sort of asked for. Nobody -- nobody was being asked to do that. So like a lot of things you read in the newspapers, that happens to be untrue. If any reporter had asked me, I would have been able to tell them. I suspect this is an example of people spinning and overspinning. There will be a lot of that seamus. There will be a lot of people trying to put forward their point of view and not straightforward but through a bunch of surrogates and then talk into reporters ears. This is the way the world works and -- in this spin capital of ottawa. But the reality is that wasn't what was discussed. What was really discussed how do we create the unity that's necessary, how do we create the discipline that's necessary for us to -- for us to succeed. In what is a very difficult moment for the country. All of prime minister who simply could not govern with other parties and that is the test of a minority parliament. You know, i know he got 143 seats but he doesn't have a majority. He demonstrated so clearly last week the prime minister and his team demonstrated they're simply incapable of working with other parties. All they know how to do is poke a finger in the eye of the rest of parliament. That's not going to work. Canadian people deserve better. They deserve economic leadership and real principled leadership at a time of economic crisis. We have an obligation to do.

Seamus: As always with you, I don't have much time. You know, i hear what you're saying about -- about everybody getting together. There can only be one liberal leader on possibly only one prime minister. Who would that be?

Bob: Well, the liberal leaders -- leader is stephane dion. We're meeting as a caucus over this week as we carry on with this plan. I think it's very important for canadians to know that the notion that somehow any internal issues in the party would be allowed to interfere with a
successful transition to a new government, that notion is false. We are all going to be working together. We're all putting national interests first. We're all going to be making sure that it's the national interest that prevails and that interest is in having a stable government with
strong economic leadership with a program that makes sense to Canadians. That's what we're doing.

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