Michael Ignatieff's 'Zap, we're dead' election threat

National Post ^ | 2009-09-02 | Don Martin

[Clive]

The senior Liberal was seething over the cellphone from Sudbury, where his federal party had gathered to plot their electoral suicide.

“Wanna hear my analogy to this mess?,” he confided. “The car is ready and moving forward. Unfortunately there’s a cliff straight ahead. But the real problem is that the driver is accelerating because he thinks he can jump the canyon.”

That head-smashing-in Liberal jump could take place two weeks from today, following party leader Michael Ignatieff’s "zap, we're dead" policy of voting against the government at every opportunity. Yup, you read that correctly. The anticipated early October showdown is likely to happen much, much earlier, possibly on Sept. 17 when one of five ways and means motions, which basically enshrine the 2009 budget’s details into law, is expected to be put to an immediate vote without debate.

As already noted, the Liberals will vote against everything Conservative from now on. The New Democrats and the Bloc Quebecois cannot easily support budget details when they’ve condemned the original document for nine months. Being a money bill, it’s an automatic confidence tester.

Thus, the government falls.

It’s incredible that a bill to officially implement the popular loophole-filled homeowners’ renovation tax credit would be the trigger for the fourth election in five years (the Conservatives are on the record as saying it’s a done deal even without formal approval), but it sets up a dream scenario for Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

The idea of the opposition trio voting down a government that’s trying to give homeowners a tax break after they’ve spent tens of millions on household improvements would give the Conservatives a major election-launch advantage. ...

[Clive]

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[Clive]

From the article:

The idea of the opposition trio voting down a government that’s trying to give homeowners a tax break after they’ve spent tens of millions on household improvements would give the Conservatives a major election-launch advantage. And picture the evil symmetrical strategy, as only Stephen Harper can, of holding the vote two weeks from today. He puts the renovation tax credit motion on the floor, it is defeated and another pointless campaign is under way. Mr. Harper accepts the House of Commons verdict and heads off to Montreal where none other than Brian Mulroney is holding a celebration to mark the 25th anniversary of his first majority government victory.

This is quietly billed as a Conservative reconciliation between Mr. Harper and the former prime minister, who was publicly ostracized just before a public inquiry was launched into his business dealings with former arms dealer Karlheinz Schreiber. About a dozen current cabinet ministers are expected to attend the party along with 25 Conservative senators or backbenchers. Laureen Harper, representing the ultimate olive branch from the prime minister, will be among the blue-chip guests. If this is indeed a kiss and make up session with Mr. Mulroney and all is forgiven, it would reunite the party’s election machine in the critical battleground of Quebec and deliver a symbolic kickstart in their bid to recapture majority control over the House of Commons.

At very least, this possibility is much more appetizing to Conservatives than being forced to stomach test after confidence test when their survival requires constant New Democrat coddling.

[fanfan]

Clive, you should see the poll at the Toronto Star this morning.