Posted on 12/02/2005 1:03:49 PM PST by RWR8189
The Canadian House hits Paul Martin with a vote of no confidence, paving the way for Tory Stephen Harper.
The House condemns the government for its arrogance in refusing to compromise with the opposition parties over the timing of the next general election and for its "culture of entitlement," corruption, scandal and gross abuse of public funds for political purposes and, consequently, the government no longer has the confidence of the House.
--The Canadian House of Commons
November 28, 2005
THOSE WORDS ended the reign of embattled Canadian Liberal party leader Paul Martin over a presumably outraged Canadian electorate. Canada's three opposition parties have now set in motion an unpopular holiday election campaign to determine if voters share their scorn for the administration.
The passage of the no-confidence motion was no surprise--the three opposition parties had made it clear prior to tabling the motion that they would support the dissolution of the Commons and the call for new elections. However, the strong wording of the resolution was a shock. The press had reported earlier that the Conservatives, Bloc Quebecois, and New Democratic party could only agree to generic language which would express little more than the lack of confidence in the executive. But Martin's refusal to consider a compromise election date apparently convinced NDP leader Jack Layton to support a much broader attack on the Liberal government.
THE NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION should surprise no one who read the recent Gomery Inquiry report regarding the kickbacks and money laundering that involved top Liberal politicians and their donors. Indeed, it's a wonder Martin avoided the axe for this long. Now that he has finally called for new elections on January 23, Martin and his party face an enormous political challenge.
How likely is a return of Liberal rule after the Gomery disaster? After twelve years of Liberal control, first as a majority and then as the plurality in the Commons, the Tories bear the burden of convincing Canadians to cross the aisle--and Gomery alone may not be enough to break the Liberal hold on power. Stephen Harper, the Conservative leader, has to convince voters that Tories offer more than just a gainsay of Liberal policies. Harper needs to deliver a "Morning in Canada" agenda, one that promises a transformation for the nation.
So far, Harper doesn't seem up to the task. Obviously uncomfortable with campaigning, his irritation often comes across when he's publicly challenged. Martin has shown that he knows how to push Harper's buttons in the Commons, provoking acidic, and often impolitic, responses from the Tory. This week, instead of remaining focused on curing the "scary" image that the Liberals have hung on Harper, he played to it by accusing Liberals of being complicit in organized crime. For his part, Martin has already pledged to go negative.
OF COURSE, no one expects either party to form a majority government. That gives some power to the two smaller parties, Bloc Quebecois and the New Democratic party. Given that millions of dollars--which had been earmarked for cultural programs in Quebec--were stolen from the Sponsorship Programme under Liberal management, the Bloc will likely increase its representation in the next Commons at the expense of Liberals (the Tories do not usually make any kind of showing in Quebec).
The NDP case is more complicated. Party leader Jack Layton is a gifted politician, but his party remains mired in fourth place because of its hard-left socialism. It undermined the case for elections last May, when Layton made a last-minute deal to get a big slice of Canadian taxes for his pet health-care projects, giving Martin the exact numbers he needed to block the attempt to topple the Liberal government when the Gomery testimony first emerged. Layton further damaged his case for elections in recent weeks when he made it known that he would support the Liberals if they agreed to more funding and exclusivity for the state-run medical system. Until Harper finally tabled the no-confidence motion last week, Layton shook down the Martin government for every last cent he could get.
MEDIA POLLS have shown a suspiciously consistent six-point advantage for the Liberals over the Conservatives. Private polling, which used a larger sample size, shows the two major parties in a dead heat at 32 percent each. But even the media polls show trends which don't auger well for Martin's future prospects. The Liberal lead in Ontario--the Liberal power base--has dropped by over half since last spring and now sits at only a 5 percent advantage over the Conservatives. Most of those voters are switching to the NDP, meaning that Jack Layton's party may pick up a few more seats--but at Martin's expense, not Harper's.
And, after signing on to the harsh language in the no-confidence motion, it will be hard for Layton to align himself with Martin after the election. So even if the Liberals managed to get into position to form the next government with the help of the NDP, they would probably have to do so without Martin.
Which means that the table is set for Stephen Harper. He can change the course of Canadian policy and North American politics. If he can convince his fellow countrymen that he has a positive vision for the future of Canada, the voters up north may end 12 years of Liberal rule and give him the opportunity to deliver on it.
Edward Morrissey is a contributing writer to The Daily Standard and a contributor to the blog Captain's Quarters.
What do think?
It's hard to believe, but it appears that the country is preparing itself to toss the rascals out.
Actually, the change is focussed on Ontario, where the NDP and Tories will each pick up many seats - over 50 between them, imo. The Liberals are on the run!
A less stridently negative attitude towards Canada's neighbor to the immediate south would be a very welcome change. I've never disliked Canada or Canadians, at least up until all the vocal leftist condemnation of US policy, plus the increasingly deranged sounding paranoia about everything associated with the US. We have too much in common, and we have so much to gain by becoming good friends and trading partners again, for this drifting apart to continue unchecked.
So, I am really looking forward to a more friendly regime up there. Congratulations seem to be in order, but don't let your guard down.
I think too many people are counting on Morning in Canada and forgetting that the Socialists have largely rigged the game so that they can continue to lie, cheat and steal so long as the provide the good citizens of Ontario with their bread and circuses.
My geography is really bad. Canada? Is that near Nova Scotia?
They have voted liberal for years...then they complain about the French Gov't.
They are too snobby to vote conservative as conservatives are "too provincial" for them. We'll see what they do this time.
Unpopular? ROFLOL!
Canada Ping!
Please FReepmail to get on or off this Canada ping list.
Click the image and see post #44 for my
fearless pre-election prediction along with
related rationale for a CPC minority government.
If you meant what do I think of the article above,
it seems its author is arguing it both ways.
Personally, I think both Harper and the Party have had
a far better first week than many dared hope for.
Another factor is that according to the Anglophones living in Ontario, the Conservative Party of Canada embodies the ideals that looks far too much like from the South of the border (read: USA) and Western Canada may well be more than half way across the 49th using Ontario standards anyway.
They would have happily voted an anti-American Traditionalist conservative party if it exists - another John Diefenbaker or Sir Charles Tucker for instance.
I should add that: yes, I know there are many free-market and friendly-to-the-US people in Ontario. But be honest, the middle mum and pop aren't quite like that - they are not virulently socialist but you can see they do have heavy social democratic beliefs and monarchist tendencies and "What does the government provide me?" mentality is very prevalent.
North Korea.
They are also too snobby for anything that looks like America.
They preferred voting for the French all these year even though they can't stand them. Tells you what they think of America.
No your thinking of New Brunswick. Kanada is north of the Great Lakes near Michigan.- Tom
No, no, no, you both are mistaken. Canada is a patch of area across Buffalo in NY and extend to the northern shores of Lake Ontario. ;-)
When was the last time you were here, NZer?
Your Canadian bashing is becoming tiresome to say the least.
Well I certainly hope that Ontario voters ARE outraged. If they are not, the question begs to be answered WHY NOT? Do they appreciate being RULED and STOLEN FROM by this band of CRIMINALS, the likes of which Canada has never seen before?????? It will be up to Ontario which way this Country goes.
They sound just like typical liberal, jerk-weed, moonbats! >:-}
Two years ago. In the vote-rich Windsor-Toronto-Ottawa triangle in Ontario and Montreal/Cantons-d'Est areas in Quebec no less.
Don't deceive yourself. Ontario cannot be where it is if the middle mum and pop Anglophone voters don't agree to the Liberal Party manifesto.
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