The 2008 Canadian Election- Merged Thread
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At least according to the Globe & Mail, anyway. My bet is that Dion caves rather than face the electorate. Shared in accordance with the "fair dealing" provisions, Section 29, of the Copyright Act.
Harper to put government on line
Tories are readying a confidence motion over extending Canada's role, PM says
BRIAN LAGHI, Globe & Mail, 6 Feb 08
Article link - .pdf permalink
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is prepared to put his minority government on the line over the future of the Afghanistan mission after he warned Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion that the Tories are preparing a confidence motion that could be voted on as early as next week.
A source told The Globe and Mail that the government is prepared to give notice tomorrow of the motion that Canada's role be extended. If the government were to lose, it could plunge the country into an election.
Mr. Harper issued the warning during a 25-minute meeting between the two men yesterday to discuss the future of the Afghan mission and a possible compromise over Canada's presence in the strife-torn province of Kandahar.
The Liberals are divided on the issue, but Mr. Dion has said that he will whip the vote, meaning the party must vote as one. The NDP and the Bloc Quebecois are already against the mission, demanding that it end by 2009. The Liberals, however, have said there may be room for some compromise.
However, Mr. Dion has told Mr. Harper that he won't budge from his condition that any Canadian role in Afghanistan after 2009 not include a combat function.
Mr. Dion laid out the position as he and Mr. Harper discussed ways for Canada to move forward in warring country after its mission ends in 2009.The two men got together for 25 minutes in a meeting aimed at finding common ground on a report from the panel led by former foreign affairs minister John Manley, which suggests that Canada leave Kandahar in 2009 if NATO doesn't provide another 1,000 troops, helicopters and unmanned aircraft.
"Mr. Dion made clear the Liberal Party's long-standing position on the mission in Afghanistan, including our firm and unwavering belief that the combat mission in Kandahar must end by February, 2009," said a statement released by Mr. Dion after the meeting ended late yesterday afternoon.
Mr. Dion would release no further details yesterday. The Tories support the Manley proposal and need the backing of the Liberals to push ahead with continued Canadian presence in Kandahar. It's unclear whether Mr. Dion offered a compromise. His officials said yesterday that the leader plans to discuss the issue with his caucus today.
"The Prime Minister reiterated the government's position - that we are adopting the bi-partisan recommendations of the Manley panel - and that if we are unable to secure extra combat troops and equipment, Canada will not be extending the mission in Afghanistan," said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
A source with knowledge of the meeting said last night that the two sides seemed fairly entrenched in their positions.
The British newspaper The Guardian reported yesterday that France may increase its military presence in Afghanistan.
Edited to update the thread title
Harper to put government on line
Tories are readying a confidence motion over extending Canada's role, PM says
BRIAN LAGHI, Globe & Mail, 6 Feb 08
Article link - .pdf permalink
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is prepared to put his minority government on the line over the future of the Afghanistan mission after he warned Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion that the Tories are preparing a confidence motion that could be voted on as early as next week.
A source told The Globe and Mail that the government is prepared to give notice tomorrow of the motion that Canada's role be extended. If the government were to lose, it could plunge the country into an election.
Mr. Harper issued the warning during a 25-minute meeting between the two men yesterday to discuss the future of the Afghan mission and a possible compromise over Canada's presence in the strife-torn province of Kandahar.
The Liberals are divided on the issue, but Mr. Dion has said that he will whip the vote, meaning the party must vote as one. The NDP and the Bloc Quebecois are already against the mission, demanding that it end by 2009. The Liberals, however, have said there may be room for some compromise.
However, Mr. Dion has told Mr. Harper that he won't budge from his condition that any Canadian role in Afghanistan after 2009 not include a combat function.
Mr. Dion laid out the position as he and Mr. Harper discussed ways for Canada to move forward in warring country after its mission ends in 2009.The two men got together for 25 minutes in a meeting aimed at finding common ground on a report from the panel led by former foreign affairs minister John Manley, which suggests that Canada leave Kandahar in 2009 if NATO doesn't provide another 1,000 troops, helicopters and unmanned aircraft.
"Mr. Dion made clear the Liberal Party's long-standing position on the mission in Afghanistan, including our firm and unwavering belief that the combat mission in Kandahar must end by February, 2009," said a statement released by Mr. Dion after the meeting ended late yesterday afternoon.
Mr. Dion would release no further details yesterday. The Tories support the Manley proposal and need the backing of the Liberals to push ahead with continued Canadian presence in Kandahar. It's unclear whether Mr. Dion offered a compromise. His officials said yesterday that the leader plans to discuss the issue with his caucus today.
"The Prime Minister reiterated the government's position - that we are adopting the bi-partisan recommendations of the Manley panel - and that if we are unable to secure extra combat troops and equipment, Canada will not be extending the mission in Afghanistan," said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
A source with knowledge of the meeting said last night that the two sides seemed fairly entrenched in their positions.
The British newspaper The Guardian reported yesterday that France may increase its military presence in Afghanistan.
Edited to update the thread title
I was surprised this subject did not come up today - apologies if if it did on another thread, I could'nt find it.
Seems the PM is going to play hardball with Dion, good for him, I don't think many Canadians want to see another election but I really think we need to clear the air (again) on this critical issue. I'm pretty tired of the Libs playing politics with this one, at least the PM has, it seems to me, been very clear - we are in Afghanistan for a good reason and there is no point in talking only of aid and reconstruction as long as a insurgency in bent on bringing the country down, so we cannot ignore the immediate need to fight that insurgency.
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5g6K8CNnipUVz9HAesdGIC4zNOHbQ
Seems the PM is going to play hardball with Dion, good for him, I don't think many Canadians want to see another election but I really think we need to clear the air (again) on this critical issue. I'm pretty tired of the Libs playing politics with this one, at least the PM has, it seems to me, been very clear - we are in Afghanistan for a good reason and there is no point in talking only of aid and reconstruction as long as a insurgency in bent on bringing the country down, so we cannot ignore the immediate need to fight that insurgency.
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5g6K8CNnipUVz9HAesdGIC4zNOHbQ
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as a side issue
the people who will be going on the next rotation are training already for it I think (could be wrong here)
so it seems to me (and I so could be wrong here please correct me) that the sooner they know what type of mission they will be on the better suited their specific training will be
this is just something I was thinking about yesterday, and I dont have any supporting evidence and could be way off base.
the people who will be going on the next rotation are training already for it I think (could be wrong here)
so it seems to me (and I so could be wrong here please correct me) that the sooner they know what type of mission they will be on the better suited their specific training will be
this is just something I was thinking about yesterday, and I dont have any supporting evidence and could be way off base.
ballz
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I find it to be a bit of a flaw in the system that Canadians have chosen the Conservatives to lead the country and yet such a huge decision, the biggest since the Conservatives have come into power for sure, comes down to the Liberals. Maybe if they let all the MP's vote however they wanted it might be a better display of a democracy, or even just the liberals, since I think they're the only party really split up about the decision. I'd suggest a referendum but I don't think enough Canadians know enough on the situation to make an educated decision.
But I don't know, just seems to me that what's going to be debated about is whether or not it's a good time to defeat the Conservatives or whether they should wait, etc. I don't think the actual issue at hand is going to all that relevant.
But I don't know, just seems to me that what's going to be debated about is whether or not it's a good time to defeat the Conservatives or whether they should wait, etc. I don't think the actual issue at hand is going to all that relevant.
how does this come down to the liberals, its not the liberals who said the matter of afghanistan will be a confidence vote.. ? again.. all parties are playing politics here, and all are using this for their own gain. maybe if all party leaders should allow a free vote, without consequence but we all know what happened to bill caseyballz said:
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The government will not fall over Afghanistan. The vote on the mission is scheduled for after the vote on the budget, and the crime bill. Dion has already stated he won't endorse the budget... so we're going to the polls. Dion is going to defeat the budget so that he's not embarrassed in the house when his members split on the Afghanistan issue.
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As well, with the Liberals holding the crime bill up in the Senate, which is now also a confidence issue, if that gets rejected before the budget it gives the Conservatives the ability to campaign on a "tough on crime" plank, too, which will play well in Toronto and other urban centers which have seen recent high violent crime rates.
Their challenge is to orchestrate these converging issues to best effect for the current government, and try not to go to the NATO Leaders Summit in Bucharest with their hands tied by an upcoming election or a rejected Manley report.
Interesting times.
Their challenge is to orchestrate these converging issues to best effect for the current government, and try not to go to the NATO Leaders Summit in Bucharest with their hands tied by an upcoming election or a rejected Manley report.
Interesting times.
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I agree, however this will only be the case if the opposition, regardless of the party, does what they're supposed to do. That is, they don't take a contrary view on everything the government proposes solely because they're on the other side of the house. The current opposition parties are all check and no balance, where balance is what is required in a minority government situation.sgf said:
and it was different when the liberal were in power.. hardly..
the house of commons is not the most civil place, and frankly it is the job of the opposition to oppose the government.. if the libs form the next govt, and it is a minority i cant see the tories behaving any differently than the liberals are now
the house of commons is not the most civil place, and frankly it is the job of the opposition to oppose the government.. if the libs form the next govt, and it is a minority i cant see the tories behaving any differently than the liberals are now
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Blindspot said:
Sorry, I'm from BC. Toronto is defined as everything south of a line drawn from Orillia to Belleville ;D (just as Vancouver is everything West of Hope to most Canadians)
Much of which is already blue on this map, too: http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/reference/elections/elections2006
If those in
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Blindspot said:Let me put the current Toronto (not GTA) in general political perspective for you. Dion and Layton could go out on a sealpup hunting photo op with bloody clubs in hand the day before election and Toronto would still not vote Conservative.
Hell, I'd pay to see that, I'd probably vote for one of them!
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