Posted on 04/27/2005 2:40:11 PM PDT by fanfan
Harper vows to take down Liberals
AMHERSTBURG, Ont. -- Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper vowed Wednesday to topple the fragile Liberal government "at the earliest opportunity" as he fumed about Paul Martin's "deal with the devil" -- a $4.6-billion budget agreement with the New Democrats.
Harper called Martin's willingness to accede to the NDP's demand to remove billions of dollars in corporate tax cuts from the federal budget the "most disgraceful thing" he'd ever seen as he tried to pin the blame for a snap election on the Liberal-NDP alliance.
"The prime minister went so far as to say that this arrangement in this particular episode shows that this Parliament works," Harper said during a luncheon speech in Amherstburg, a short drive south of Windsor, Ont.
"This is not how Parliament should work. As soon as we get back, I will be asking our caucus to put this government out of its misery at the earliest possible opportunity."
That could be as early as May 4, according to Conservative insiders who say that's the earliest date that a no-confidence motion that's currently before the public works committee could be brought before the House of Commons for a vote.
At an earlier stop in Ridgetown, Ont., Harper said the "fiscally irresponsible" deal to delay corporate tax cuts and siphon the $4.6-billion proceeds into social programs over the next two years was a sign the government is "seriously off the rails."
Harper said it would be impossible for Conservatives to support the budget, which favours NDP priorities and props up a government teetering on the brink of collapse from explosive allegations emerging daily from the Gomery inquiry into the federal sponsorship scandal.
In exchange for the changes to the budget, Layton has agreed to support the government in its effort to get the budget passed and in any no-confidence motions the Liberals face before the budget bill receives royal assent.
"We already have enough problems with Liberal corruption," Harper said. "Having an NDP budget is not going to make us support Liberal corruption."
But in an interview Wednesday with The Canadian Press, Martin said he intends to use a separate piece of legislation to push ahead with the tax cuts that were excised from the budget, provided the Conservatives are willing to support the move.
Planned cuts for small- and medium-sized businesses remain intact under the agreement, which calls for $4.6 billion in new investment over two years for the environment, affordable housing, foreign aid, and post-secondary education and training.
Speaking in Montreal, Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe also slammed the proposed budget changes and said he doesn't intend to support them.
"What's good for Quebec, we'll support," Duceppe said. "What's bad for Quebec, we'll oppose. The Layton-Martin agreement is not good for Quebec. It's not a good budget for Quebec."
During his own election-style tour of southwestern Ontario, Layton said seeking the deal was an act of conscience and that voters will cast judgment on his actions when they go to the polls.
"I understand the criticism, and not everybody's going to like what we're doing; that's life, that's why we have a democracy. People will execute their judgment on voting day," Layton told students during a question-and-answer session.
"I couldn't sleep at night if I knew that I had the chance to help some people get off the street and I didn't take it because I wanted the political advantage. I couldn't sleep at night."
Recent polls suggest Canadians do not want an election so soon after last spring's campaign, which has the leaders frantically passing the political hot potato of who will be to blame for touching off a spring campaign.
The Tories and Bloc are widely expected to try to bring down the government next month by voting against the budget or provoking another kind of non-confidence vote.
Even with NDP support, the Liberal government's survival is uncertain.
The Liberals would need all their 131 votes, the NDP's 19, and possibly those of all three independents, allowing the Liberal Speaker to cast the deciding ballot to bring the tally to 154.
My wife went through the horrible hypocrisy of the immigration process. It is a joke. But it’s the creation of your beloved Liberals! The Liberals have no intention on improving immigration – unless it means allowing more psycho Arabs to get into Canada and then disappear.
Encouraging news from our FD/FRiends
in the Great White North! Oh Canada!
I swear to God Canadians are a hopeless bunch. Bad enough 70% of us vote for communists.
Did you see that the Liberals rose from 25 to 43% last poll in BC. WTF? Not only are they communists, want to brainwash our children in government run daycare, don’t think victims of crime are important, refused to sign up for free missile defense, ran a foregone inquiry into BC offshore drilling, joined a socialist Kyoto scam, and run a hypocritical EI system; they are also the most corrupt government in all of Canadian history.
The only reasonable explanation is that Canadians will vote Liberals as a punishment for the CP calling an early election? If it is due to Martin’s crocodile tears on TV, then he is a brilliant strategist and Canadians have less sense than dairy cows.
I swear to God Canadians are a hopeless bunch. Bad enough 70% of us vote for communists.
Did you see that the Liberals rose from 25 to 43% last poll in BC. WTF? Not only are they communists, want to brainwash our children in government run daycare, don’t think victims of crime are important, refused to sign up for free missile defense, ran a foregone inquiry into BC offshore drilling, joined a socialist Kyoto scam, and run a hypocritical EI system; they are also the most corrupt government in all of Canadian history.
The only reasonable explanation is that Canadians will vote Liberals as a punishment for the CP calling an early election? If it is due to Martin’s crocodile tears on TV, then he is a brilliant strategist and Canadians have less sense than dairy cows.
"Did you see that the Liberals rose from 25 to 43% last poll in BC"
Polls? I don't think you're a true conservative. If we follow polls in the last election then Harper should be PM.
Polls are design to play with people's mind. You're falling for the Liberal trap Nelson.
As compared to what? Ireland, the US, Haiti?
What if we hadn't had $1-5 Billion stolen from our taxes?
I respect her position on the same-sex and pro-life issues
Something like 34 members of the Liberal party voted against same sex marriage.
Does that upset you too?
The Liberal and NDP parties of Canada ARE buying CAW votes.
There, I've said it.
So you haven't heard about terrorism, eh?
Perhaps you would be more comfortable at DU?
Add me to the AS ping list please. This is getting better every day.
You are now on the list. :-)
Thanks. Do you think there is any real chance of a conservative government north of the 49th?
I guess that depends on the definition of 'Conservative'.
Not a chance. We are all socialists. Even of the 30% that vote CP, many are Western protest votes - people that vote NDP in provincial elections.
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