Wednesday, September 16, 2009

CP: NDP to prop up Harper government

NDP to prop up Harper government
Source: The Canadian Press - Broadcast wire
Sep 16, 2009 13:01

OTTAWA - The NDP says it will support the Conservatives on a crucial budget motion Friday - and keep propping up the government long enough to pass EI legislation to help unemployed workers.

The news appears to rule out a fall election - as long as EI legislation is still in play.

It comes a day after the Bloc Quebecois announced that it will vote for the minority government's ways-and-means motion, averting an immediate election.

The motion is considered a matter of confidence, meaning the government needs the support of one of the opposition parties to survive.

New Democrat MP Thomas Mulcair says his party will support the Tories until they pass legislation that would extend EI benefits to long-tenured workers.

That means a Liberal non-confidence motion expected the first week of October is likely to fail.

(The Canadian Press)

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11 comments:

Jason Hickman said...

Very interesting, if it comes to pass. I don't know how your team will make this out to be a Tory-NDP coalition, given that Harper's been seen as more or less flipping Layton the bird all week long - but I'm sure you'll try :)

Jeff said...

Well Jason, you remember Flannagan's comments a few weeks ago on perception, right? :)

Jason Hickman said...

Yeah, Tom really ruined politics for me with that article. Before he shattered my youthful illusions, I thought political attacks were always based on the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth ;)

But yeah, I'm sure the effort will be made. It may even work to a limited extent, but it won't be as easy if there hadn't been so much press about how Harper was giving Layton the cold shoulder.

Not that this counts as novel analysis or anything, but I think Layton will come out of this worse than Harper, which I guess isn't all that bad for Team Rouge either.

Gayle said...

Who cares about CPC/NDP collaboration.

Whatever else happens, Harper certainly will not be in a position to rely on that whole coalition thing next time around.

The NDP will have a hard time running as the "true" opposition too.

Malcolm+ said...

One "roll over" in exchange for some substantive changes to EI.

As opposed to 79 roll overs for a "blue ribbon panel" and a whole lot of nothing.

Right. You Libs are rather like GWB on his aircraft carrier declaring victory.

Jeff said...

Maybe you can convince yourself of that Malcom. Or maybe you can't. But it's still a load of hooey.

The Liberals voted to sustain the government to billions and billions of dollars could go to stimulus, to earlier revisions to EI, to other programs to help Canadians with the downturn. It wasn't perfect, but it was needed and so we made sure it went out.

All the while, the NDP voted against it, they said it didn't matter what the Conservatives did or promised, they couldn't be trusted and they had to go.

And now that they could actually go, Jack folds like a cheap suit and he sends out his deputy to explain it to the public.

There's some good things here on EI, sure. But this isn't at all what the NDP asked for, and if you want to step back and look at this objectively, you'll admit that.

What was the centrepiece of the NDP motion, their consistent core demand? A 360 hour PERMANENT national standard for EI eligibility. Access, they said, was the key issues. Millions of unemployed Canadians don't qualify for EI.

The scraps the NDP have settled for, the paltry first offer that Jack didn't even try to improve on, is silent in access. It does nothing on access. Not a thing.

All those millions of unemployed and ineligible Canadians the NDP supposedly cares about got nothing. The NDP sold them out because they don't like their polling numbers.

Yes Malcom, mission accomplished indeed. I'm sure once Jack comes out of hiding he'll unfurl the banner.

Steve V said...

"Maybe you can convince yourself of that "

It's fun watching people try. What's worse, because they can find 8 other people in the country to agree, they think it has any validity. It doesn't!! Outside, go outside, it's really true, you sold out, so badly I can't even believe it.

Scott in Montreal said...

Unless this is a massive bluff on the NDP's part, I don't get it. It really is stunning. They can easily take the high road and vote against the Ways and Means this Friday safe in the knowledge the Bloq has their backs for that vote to keep them in session - and probably on through October. My take is: the Bloq doesn't want to tie up the separatist campaign resources until after the Montreal municipal election is out of the way. So I am at a loss...

marie said...

Why isn't anyone including Ignatieff or Joker Layton talking about the very people who need help desperately like the ones that don't qualify under the Reform rules that Layton was so vocal about. He is something else. he has proven to Canadians and his supporters that Johnnie boy is looking after his own job and to hell with them. Layton is so busy flipping it would serve them right if his party called in his resignation. What an embarrassment he is to his members. This might take a huge hit for them in new members and new donations. If it happens, it couldn't happen to a more deserving man next to harper.

leftdog said...

"CP: LIBERAL Party of Canada to prop up Harper government"

Jeff said...

Actually, no, not at all. And you know better.