Parliament's return to be delayed until Oct. 16

[GAP]

Parliament's return to be delayed until Oct. 16
Updated Tue. Sep. 4 2007 3:58 PM ET CTV.ca News Staff
Article Link

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has decided to delay the opening of the fall session of Parliament to October 16, CTV News has learned.

Rather than meet with Parliament on the normally scheduled date of September 17, Harper has decided to delay the date.

The formal announcement will be made later Tuesday, CTV's Mike Duffy reported from Ottawa.

"People at very high levels here in the capital tell me that this has been considered for some time by the prime minister and his most senior ministers," Duffy reported on Newsnet. "They have decided that October 16th is the date to bring Parliament back and more critically, I think, in the overall political scheme of things to bring down the speech from the throne."

The throne speech would, in effect, set the stage for a vote of non-confidence, he added. Parliament would vote on the speech within six working days, and the Conservatives currently have 125 of 308 seats.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe has threatened to topple the government unless there is a clear mandate to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by February 2009.

"There are many people here who believe that the return to Parliament on October 16th is setting the stage for the potential of a fall election, which would come in the month of November," Duffy reported.
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[COBRA-6]

"There are many people here who believe that the return to Parliament on October 16th is setting the stage for the potential of a fall election, which would come in the month of November,"

Hmmm, could this be Harper calling the oposition parties' bluffs? There's been a lot of sabre rattling lately, maybe it's put up or shut up time for Dion et al...

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

Hmmm, could this be Harper calling the oposition parties' bluffs? There's been a lot of sabre rattling lately, maybe it's put up or shut up time for Dion et al...

Yes i think you're right. They have been calling me and sending me campaign contribution requests for the last 3 months...every week! they are building up their war chest. I donated some money back in the spring to the party as I was really happy about the emphasis on our department and some of the other things going on.....now I wish they'd lose my number rather than call me every other day. I'm still pretty satisfied with their performance though.
Do you think they can lose that "Canada's New Government" moniker if they get another mandate...it's really wearing a bit thin after 19 months in power. when do they become just "the Government?"

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Do you think they can lose that "Canada's New Government" moniker if they get another mandate...it's really wearing a bit thin after 19 months in power. when do they become just "the Government?"

It is wearing thin,and I wish they'd drop it also

Maybe about the same time the fiberals stop using the moniker 'natural governing party'. It's become commonplace, but I find it presumptuous. However, being presumptuous, and arrogant, is nothing new for them.

 

[tomahawk6]

Fall election anyone ?

 

[retiredgrunt45]

I think Mr. Harper is trying to stir up the hornets nest to force a fall election. It's going to be interesting to see if Dion takes the bait. In last nights press conference, he seemed to be abit carefull of his language, guessing is more like it.

Dion knows he doesn't have a chance of winning anything right now and I think he'll have to go along with whatever is presented in the throne speech. Whatever Harper is planning, it's a good guess Dion will not see it coming. As for Layton, haven't seen to much of him lately. Is it he's actually at a loss for words? Those puzzled looks, Looks good on you gentlemen.

Genius move on Harper's part though, using McKay to dangle a carrot in front of the oppsition on the Afghan announcement, before he uses his big stick. Another is locking his cabinet up at Meech Lake to avoid loose lips and reporters. Man's smarter than what I gave him credit for.

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

The CBC was saying last night that this is a move to embarass the opposition. The Government (note...not Canada's new government) will introduce mother hood issues in a speech from the Throne including strengthening Canada's sovereignty, getting tough on crime, the environment and other such "apple pie" issues but be fairly light on the details. If the Opposition call no confidence votes on stuff that most Canadians want they will discredit themselves and look like they are just a bunch of naysayers as opposed to a real thoughtful opposition...which is what they are in my opinion.

 

[PMedMoe]

Wishful thinking:

Edited to change intro line after reading the post below.  :-[

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

Just because they are not sitting in the place of hot air doesn't mean they are not working. MPs work out of their riding offices when they are not in Ottawa sitting in the house, attending committee meetings or working in their parliamentary offices. In my experience the MP or MLA is busier when he is in his home riding office as he has a line up of folks at the door looking to see him/her. I remember visiting my MLAs office in Oromocto (Jody Carr) at his riding office and waiting for three hours to see him because there was a lot of other folks ahead of me.
The Cabinet Ministers and folks with specific governmental duties are all in Ottawa working at their respective departments for the most part or travelling on Government business. Do you seriously think that Peter MacKay is sitting on the family farm in New Glasgow waiting for Parliament to go back in session?

 

[PMedMoe]

IHS,  I know they work outside of Parliament, I just thought it was kind of funny...

 

[vonGarvin]

I say that we petition them to stop the reference to the "New" government.  Having said that, the same petition would also ask Mr. Layton to stop using "New" in his party's name.

;D

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

IHS,  I know they work outside of Parliament, I just thought it was kind of funny...

Yeah I think the cartoon is funny too...but I have seriously heard folks saying that they think these guys are taking a long summer vacation instead of going back to Parliament.

 

[Flip]

Man's smarter than what I gave him credit for.

RG45,
Harper has always been underestimated easily.
I did so myself until he was the PM.

My former liberal MP told me what he thought when I wondered out loud
if Harper had any brains.

You might use the phrase "scary smart". ;D

But he is a politician - doesn't always say what he means etc.

 

[Bigrex]

Personally I think he is afraid of the Sh*t storm that is he going to be walking into in the House, the spring session didn't fair so well for the Tories, and with the token shuffle during the summer and some major spending announcements, I'm sure the opposition parties are biting their lips waiting to see Harper in house debate, because lets face it, whichever minister is standing up at any moment, Harper is standing there with his hand up their a$$, making them his willing puppets, only saying what he wants them to, if they don't they get the boot. I shake my head when he says he supports the troops and veterans, but then has his entire caucus vote against the only major motion brought forward to the House to better veterans and their survivors lives and fail to act on it even though it still passed. After all, isn't the democracy all about respecting the will of the majority. Sure, lets build a deep sea port in Nowhere Nunavut or Yukon or wherever he wants it, and in ten years they will spend almost the same amount to fly supplies, and personnel (on rotation), as they do to build it. Plus having to pay isolation pay to all the sailors and support staff that would be required to man such a facility, I don't think they really thought that one through, but it sounds good when lobbying  for northern sovereignty. Also, the money that he announced to maintain our fleet, was already set aside for that purpose, it's not like there weren't going to be repairs conducted to keep our ships operational until he had his press conference. He should go work in Vegas as a magician, making people think he is making money appear out of thin air, even though it was there the whole time, and Lord knows he looks like a Vegas lounge act anyways, and maybe his clairvoyant image consultant can read palms or tarot cards as his opening act.

 

[retiredgrunt45]

Personally I think he is afraid of the **** storm that is he going to be walking into in the House,

I'm sorry but what crap storm and from whom do you speak. Dion, Layton or both?

If your referring to Dion, who's walking through Quebec at the moment asking reporters or his staff "Why don't they like me here". Not much to worry about there.

As for Layton, who has stepped on his D*** so many times that he can now wear it for a tie. Who actually takes him seriously anymore? Not many. You may be one of the few who do.

 

[Bigrex]

The great thing about the opposition is  all MPs have a say, and the parties are not strictly following the doctrine of their leader. There are plenty of competent opposition MPs that have their own agenda and are standing up and demanding answers on the issues that concern them. But on the government side, whoever actually does answer, be it Van Loan, Mackay, or Day, they will all say what Harper wants them to. That's all Harper did in his shuffle, he moved his best puppets into the positions that are under fire the most, That way, Harper or his puppets or their assistants don't have to stand up to answer for someone else, as seen in the spring, with the junior minister for Foreign Affairs standing up to answer questions put to the MND. And the only people who think the Tories have a great job so far are other conservatives, and sometimes not even then.

 

[DBA]

The great thing about the opposition is  all MPs have a say, and the parties are not strictly following the doctrine of their leader. There are plenty of competent opposition MPs that have their own agenda and are standing up and demanding answers on the issues that concern them. But on the government side, whoever actually does answer, be it Van Loan, Mackay, or Day, they will all say what Harper wants them to. That's all Harper did in his shuffle, he moved his best puppets into the positions that are under fire the most, That way, Harper or his puppets or their assistants don't have to stand up to answer for someone else, as seen in the spring, with the junior minister for Foreign Affairs standing up to answer questions put to the MND. And the only people who think the Tories have a great job so far are other conservatives, and sometimes not even then.

The amount of control exercised by the party in power vs the opposition on their MPs has been lopsided like this for a long time. The main source is the party in power has the responsibility and mandate to govern the country. The opposition doesn't. The previous Liberal government exercised even tighter control. For example on a lot of votes MPs were ordered to vote the party line. The opposition also allways whines about the unity of the party in power since any lack of unity they can drum up benefits them.

 

[2 Cdo]

The great thing about the opposition is  all MPs have a say, and the parties are not strictly following the doctrine of their leader. There are plenty of competent opposition MPs that have their own agenda and are standing up and demanding answers on the issues that concern them. But on the government side, whoever actually does answer, be it Van Loan, Mackay, or Day, they will all say what Harper wants them to. That's all Harper did in his shuffle, he moved his best puppets into the positions that are under fire the most, That way, Harper or his puppets or their assistants don't have to stand up to answer for someone else, as seen in the spring, with the junior minister for Foreign Affairs standing up to answer questions put to the MND. And the only people who think the Tories have a great job so far are other conservatives, and sometimes not even then.

Yeah this never happened before. : Remember the "Bully from Shawinigin".

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

The great thing about the opposition is  all MPs have a say, and the parties are not strictly following the doctrine of their leader. There are plenty of competent opposition MPs that have their own agenda and are standing up and demanding answers on the issues that concern them. But on the government side, whoever actually does answer, be it Van Loan, Mackay, or Day, they will all say what Harper wants them to. That's all Harper did in his shuffle, he moved his best puppets into the positions that are under fire the most, That way, Harper or his puppets or their assistants don't have to stand up to answer for someone else, as seen in the spring, with the junior minister for Foreign Affairs standing up to answer questions put to the MND. And the only people who think the Tories have a great job so far are other conservatives, and sometimes not even then.

You should fill out your profile so we know a little bit about your experience in this department. The tone of your last two emails might lead us to think that you are trolling. Many people on this site who work for DND have seen a lot of benefits coming from this Government in the way of improving the military. there is also a greater emphasis on Foreign relations with this present administration and less of an adversarial stance towards our largest trading partner...perhaps you should come clean and let us know why you are so averse to the present regime.

 

[GAP]

The great thing about the opposition is  all MPs have a say, and the parties are not strictly following the doctrine of their leader. There are plenty of competent opposition MPs that have their own agenda and are standing up and demanding answers on the issues that concern them. But on the government side, whoever actually does answer, be it Van Loan, Mackay, or Day, they will all say what Harper wants them to. That's all Harper did in his shuffle, he moved his best puppets into the positions that are under fire the most, That way, Harper or his puppets or their assistants don't have to stand up to answer for someone else, as seen in the spring, with the junior minister for Foreign Affairs standing up to answer questions put to the MND. And the only people who think the Tories have a great job so far are other conservatives, and sometimes not even then.

A little bias are we? Hmmmm....no, not Green, if it was NDP, they'd have Jacko in their lap, whispering in their ear, so that leaves..............