Opposition pass vote in bid to topple government (Canada's Liberals Defeated - msm spin begins!)

CBC News ^ | 10 May 2005 | Staff

[GMMAC]

Opposition pass vote in bid to topple government

Last Updated Tue, 10 May 2005 18:30:32 EDT
CBC News

OTTAWA - Opposition MPs passed a motion Tuesday night that they claim should topple the government – but the Liberals have dismissed the vote as nothing more than a procedural matter.

The motion passed by 153 votes to 150.

Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs voted for the motion calling on the public accounts committee "to recommend that the government resign."

The NDP and two Independents voted with the Liberals against the motion.

Liberals have rejected claims by the opposition that this was a confidence vote, saying it is just a set of instructions to a committee, and that the outcome won't affect the government.

Two cabinet ministers, Justice Minister Irwin Cotler and Natural Resources Minister John Efford, were not there for the vote.

Despite the Liberal refusal to treat it as a matter of confidence, the Conservatives have said they'll come to work as usual and look for other opportunities to force an election.

Earlier Tuesday, Liberal House leader Tony Valeri announced that the opposition parties will have three days at the end of May during which they can introduce formal non-confidence motions.

On those days, the opposition controls the parliamentary agenda.

"We're not afraid to be held accountable," Valeri said at a news conference. "There will be legitimate confidence votes."

The Liberals have already dismissed a similar motion – involving the finance committee and scheduled to be voted on next week – as a procedural matter and not a matter of confidence.

[goldstategop]

The House Of Commons just voted NO CONFIDENCE in the Government. And the Liberals have set up a constitutional crisis. Never before in Canadian history has a government of the day refused to resign when it lost a formal vote of no confidence in the House. "Procedural motion" my ass!

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[GMMAC]

Harper now on feet in House demanding that Vermin resign! PING!...PING!...PING!...PING!... PING!..PING!...PING!

[Para-Ord.45]

Said it before,and will say it again,

Canada is a banana republic.A goon squad mafia run the country,passing bags of money to each other absconded from taxpayers pockets.

Sick and getting sicker.

[TitansAFC]

They are taking their cues from American Dems.

You're right. To not resign under these circumstances is an unprecedented statement by the Liberals that they are entitled to power.

They will take down the Canadian Constitution if they have to in an effort to retain power.

It was a cross-party vote of "No Confidence." How could you accept the challenge of such a vote but then dismiss the results when you lose? "Procedural motion?!?!?!" --- it was a vote of "NO CONFIDENCE!!!!!"

[lutz]

bookmarked~

[Heartofsong83]

This government is dead.

If Mr. Dithers and his Fiberals keep trying to cling to power after legally being defeated, this will be the most embarrasing thing ever.

Maybe we need to get Bush here to help???

[Cuttnhorse]

What a screwy way to run a country.

[SweetPilotofCanuckistan]

Time to start an email campaign to Clarkson to dissolve government!

[In The Crease]

Resign now, you thieves!

[Squawk 8888]

http://www.gg.ca/contactus/index_e.asp

[rasblue]

If Canadians had gumption, guts, were not submissive timid peasants, and cared about anything at all (they don't care even about hockey anymore) they would be on the streets.
Heck in most countries they would be burning down the police stations right now.
The US has the 2nd ammendment and now we see why.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Gimme a Molsons.

[Squawk 8888]

If Mr. Dithers and his Fiberals keep trying to cling to power after legally being defeated, this will be the most embarrasing thing ever.

I'm counting on it. The longer he clings to power when it's obvious that not a single piece of legislation will see the light of day, the worse he'll look. In fact, the way it now stands I'll be happy to hold him to the promise of calling an election this winter. Between half a year of his desperate manoevring and the full exposé of the party operations he'd be toast.

[GMMAC]

OTTAWA (CP) - The opposition powered through a motion Tuesday demanding that the wobbly minority government resign, but the Liberals dismissed it as a dress rehearsal for the real non-confidence vote they promise later this month.

The outcome will likely mean more disarray in a House of Commons already almost at a standstill. The minority government shrugged off the motion as only procedural, even though it strained mightily to get it turfed before the Commons even voted Tuesday evening.

The vote was close at 153-150, with at least two Liberal cabinet ministers absent. The seat count in the House is so close that every vote counts, including the three Independents.

Conservative Opposition Leader Stephen Harper immediately demanded that Prime Minister Paul Martin call a formal vote of confidence.

"I would challenge the prime minister, if he believes he has the constitutional authority, to rise in his place and to call for a vote of confidence," Harper said.

The House broke down into shouting when Liberal House leader Tony Valeri said parliamentary precedent makes it clear the vote was not a motion of confidence.

The Speaker ruled Harper's demand out of order and the House returned to normal business, debating heritage lighthouses.

The call to resign was one of several attempts by the opposition to bring down what has become a shaky minority government under Martin.

The Conservative-led motion was similar to one they plan to bring forward May 18.

The attempts mark an increasingly chaotic Parliament degenerating into daily name-calling and demands for the government to resign.

The opposition, especially the Tories and Bloc Quebecois, have seized on damning testimony at the sponsorship inquiry in past weeks to put the once-stable Liberal minority in peril.

"Mr. Martin's behaviour has gone from dithering to desperate and now to dangerous," Harper said after the vote. "And this is a very serious situation."

Source

[Dog Gone]

The Speaker ruled Harper's demand out of order and the House returned to normal business, debating heritage lighthouses.

That was the SECOND most important thing to debate in Canada today? ROFL.

[xp38]

The Speaker ruled Harper's demand out of order and the House returned to normal business, debating heritage lighthouses

One of the funniest lines I have seen in a long time.

[xp38]

As we say here on FR...GMTA

[Dog Gone]

Indeed they do, and often within seconds of each other.

[Para-Ord.45]

Imagine the POTUS involved in a scheme to send federal money to Texas where that money is given to contractors for the sole reason to kick it back into the Republican party coffers to help get Tom Delay elected.

What do you think would happen next in the USA?