Harper should resign

[bornonaug9]

Article in the globeandmail

"Mr. Harper is ultimately responsible for this unhappy state of affairs. It is the byproduct of his machinations, and the product of a failure of his leadership.

"The opposition parties, especially with the Liberals busy licking their election wounds, were not out to pick a fight in the new Parliament.

"Mr. Harper gave them one anyway, turning his government's economic update into a partisan document aimed less at strengthening Canada's economic position than at undermining their ability to compete in the next election.

"In so doing, he sent the message that even if he backs down in this instance, he has no interest in making the current Parliament work.

"His conduct since then – epitomized by his blustery and provocative statement last Friday, and his party's disturbing act in eavesdropping on a private NDP conference call this past weekend – has only reinforced for the opposition the necessity of defeating him while it has the opportunity.

"If Mr. Harper wishes to act in the best interests of the country, it may be time for him to consider removing that imperative from the table.

"With a different Conservative leader in place, the coalition could lose some of its lustre – or at least its urgency – for the opposition parties.

"For Mr. Harper, who has built his government's image almost entirely around his own and controls nearly every aspect of its operations, relinquishing power would be a terribly bitter pill to swallow. He is the type who would rather fight than switch.

"That is his prerogative.

"But switching to another Conservative leader may at this point be preferable to a legacy as the man who gave Canada Prime Minister Stéphane Dion."

 

[bornonaug9]

Another article from by John Ivison nationalpost

In this event, what will be Mr. Harper's fate? The response of my unscientific poll of Conservatives taken on Parliament Hill yesterday was an almost unanimous thumbs down.

"People will stand strong because fragmenting now is not what's needed. But if this gets to a vote, he's in trouble," said one Conservative. Two backbench Conservative MPs said the Prime Minister's power is draining away and the fear of standing up to him is greatly diminished.

No one in the caucus would speak on the record, but a chat with former Conservative Bill Casey was revealing. The Independent MP, who was booted out of the Harper government for voting against a budget, said the great unravelling of the last few days is actually the product of a frustration that has been building on the opposition benches for the last three years. "Brinksmanship politics and pushing the opposition around has crystallized with this coalition," he said.

That attitude has also translated into Mr. Harper's relations with his own caucus, with the result that they are likely to prove as loyal as a pack of wolves turning on the one who falters. "His leadership style is not working. Ninety-five per cent of the Conservative caucus would have said don't make that statement [removing public funding for parties] if they'd been asked. But that's the problem. They are never asked, yet they'll carry the can for that decision," said Mr. Casey. "He doesn't understand people. He doesn't get that you can only push people around for so long before they push back."

There is no mechanism to remove the Conservative leader, but there may be no need for a putsch. Jack Layton, the NDP leader, asked the Prime Minister to "accept defeat gracefully" during a press conference yesterday. That kind of humility does not come easily to Mr. Harper, and one person who has worked closely with him thinks he may simply walk away from politics rather than move into opposition again. "The door is open. The humiliation of having to stand across the aisle from a guy [Mr. Dion] who he thinks is an idiot could prove too much," he said.

This seemed to be the message Mr. Harper was sending yesterday. But while the Conservative leader has shown a tendency for flight in the past, his more typical reaction is to fight. If he can pull himself out of his own personal funk, he could yet emerge stronger, if chastened.

 

[Quaggitty]

Liberal Nonsense

Your assuming that Dion, Layton or the Seperatist know better than the mandate the canadian people gave the conservatives?

Quag

 

[red]

Liberal Nonsense

Your assuming that Dion, Layton or the Seperatist know better than the mandate the canadian people gave the conservatives?

Quag

he won more seats but not exactly a mandate.

 

[gramage]

Liberal Nonsense

Your assuming that Dion, Layton or the Seperatist know better than the mandate the canadian people gave the conservatives?

Quag

One third of the vote is not a mandate.

 

[train]

This seemed to be the message Mr. Harper was sending yesterday. But while the Conservative leader has shown a tendency for flight in the past, his more typical reaction is to fight. If he can pull himself out of his own personal funk, he could yet emerge stronger, if chastened.

Well this seems to cover all the bases lol. The only quote is from a Conservative that was booted out - well that's bound to be an unbiased opinion. More bafflegab commentary.

If the Government is defeated then there should be a leadership review which would determine the proper course. I'd be forever pissed at Harper for letting 3 idiots run our country during what could be the most challanging period in recent memory.

 

[bornonaug9]

Article from torontosun

The chaos in Ottawa is primarily the fault of one man. His name is Stephen Harper.

In his gracious victory speech following the federal election six weeks ago, Harper promised to set partisanship aside and work with the other parties in Parliament to build a better, stronger Canada. That was widely interpreted as a tacit admission from the PM that he needed to change his ways. Blind partisanship and harsh attacks on his political opponents would no longer be the order of the day.

Then came the attempt last week by Harper’s bumptious finance minister, Jim Flaherty, to effectively bankrupt the opposition parties by removing their $1.95-per-vote in federal funding. That funding system, you will recall, replaced the old system, by which major parties were primarily funded by large donations from various fat cats, on Bay Street and elsewhere.

No doubt, Harper figured he could do this and get away with it, because the opposition Liberals - led by the lame–duck Stephane Dion - could never muster the moxy to fight back. Harper calculated wrong. Coming so soon after his post-election promises, the financing move was a sharpened stick in the opposition’s eye, and more than they could stand.

If Harper loses his job next week, therefore, he will have no one but himself to blame. It is, to a great degree, precisely what he deserves.

It is not, however, what Canada deserves.

Canada does not deserve a government led by Stephane Dion and NDP leader Jack Layton and propped up by separatist Gilles Duceppe. Dion lost last fall’s election for a reason. His proposal for a carbon tax, though sound in principle, was unnecessarily larded with left-wing social policy and wealth redistribution. It fell flat because Canadians didn’t buy it.

Likewise, Jack Layton’s policy nostrums - for example, his plan for the government to end all poverty by 2020, and to immediately pull Canadian troops from Afghanistan - span the range from laughable to merely irresponsible. Given cabinet influence, Layton will have us posting multi-billion-dollar deficits within months.

Could Liberal pretender Michael Ignatieff make a good prime minister? Possibly, eventually. But Ignatieff has yet to win the leadership of his party, let alone the country. He has no mandate to govern. Neither does his primary leadership rival, Bob Rae. They can’t even agree, according to reports, about whether either of them, or none, should lead the planned coalition.

Should this be settled by another election? No, nyet, nein. No election. The last one was, arguably, a waste of $300-million. Politicians should be focused laser-like now on solving problems and mitigating the damage of the global economic crisis - not on saving their own skins.

Here’s where that leaves us: Harper has climbed down from his grotesquely partisan move last week on political financing. He has also climbed down on some of the more inflammatory aspects of his economic plan, including removing civil servants’ right to strike.

The opposition should now climb down on its plan to remove him from office. The Liberals chose to allow Dion to stay until next May. As a result, they are not ready to form government. That’s their fault and they should live with it. A coalition led by Dion and Layton and propped up by the Bloc would very likely be a train wreck.

Will they climb down? Quite possibly, not. The Liberals have tasted a whiff of vengeance and they like the taste. Jack Layton can smell his six seats in cabinet. Gilles Duceppe can see dollar signs for Quebec. They’re suddenly aware of their power and of Harper’s weakness. They don’t like Harper and, on a personal level, all three of them would enjoy sticking it to him. It’s not likely this genie can be put back in the bottle.

One man is to blame: Harper. He brought his opponents together. The great tactician’s penchant for kicking below the belt finally came around and caught him dead centre, where it hurts. If he loses the big job as a result, it will be difficult to pity him. His party will not be forgiving.

 

[bornonaug9]

Liberal Nonsense

Your assuming that Dion, Layton or the Seperatist know better than the mandate the canadian people gave the conservatives?

Quag

Globe and Mail, National Post and Sun all endorsed the Conservative in the last election. These articles all point out Stephen Harper is the cause of current problem in the Parliament. The suggestion to replace Harper is the next logical move.

 

[red]

I'd be forever pissed at Harper for letting 3 idiots run our country during what could be the most challanging period in recent memory.

I agree with this sentiment. If he spent as much energy running the country as he does on petty political shit (yes they all do it) we would be better off as a country.

 

[Quaggitty]

This government that was elected was formed 7 weeks ago. Although not a strong mandate they were elected the governing party. Th coalition has NO mandate from the people and if they went to their constituants they would be told as much! This is about power, nothing else. The parties that don't have it will do anything to get it. I can't believe that the Canadian people don't see right through all the lies. Our government is being over-thrown. The country has only one last chance at democuracy and this lise in the hands of the governer general whom I hate to say has seperatist ties.

This has so much more to do with one party and one leader and the media is diverting the attention away from the facts with their red tint.

Even if you don't like Harper or the conservatives can you not see that it is important to allow the canadian people the right to decide on their government. Put it to the people I would much rater pay for an election than watch this country crumble

 

[chiller_boy]

...actually it isn't ... Harper has shown in past jobs that when he's not happy he leaves the job.

Sorry Train but Harper and his office boy did this to themselves by poking a Liberal Party that strongly feels that their election loss was largely because Dion didn't stand up to Harper's tactics in the last parliament ... whether you agree with that point is irrelevant, it is how the Liberal caucus perceives the situation.

As for leaving a coalition in charge in challenging times, one could flip that and ask realistically how can we leave a person in charge that has clearly demonstrated that he puts his Party's interest ahead of Canadians.

Harper, or should I call him Harpo, should respect that 64% of the electorate didn't vote for him and stop demonstrating that he is only interested in the issues and concerns of the 36% that did ... after all he is PM of all Canadians.

What will happen next ... well with Dion being left in charge of the Liberals that to me is a clear signal from the Liberals that they wish a compromise with the Conservatives. The cost will be someones head, most likely the Finance Minister and the adoption of most of the Liberal/NDP economic stimulus plan. The GG most likely will prorogue Parliament and with a new throne speech we will see what happens next ... the ball is firmly in Harper's court and he may yet have to learn a new skill ... the art of the compromise.


bbk

A Harper resignation with Mccay taking over might keep the conservatives in power. Flaherty would have to go along with other Harris-ites and Mccay would have to return to PC principles.

 

[I Claudius]

Avoiding the issue of whether or not it should happen, if Harper is defeated and he resigns as party leader, who would be best to replace him ? I don't know much about the possibles, though Flaherty seems to be even more of a polarizer than Harper, and Baird is a good linebacker but not a quarterback. I keep hearing the name Prentice - opinions ? Who else ?

 

[lookingforitallthetime]

Avoiding the issue of whether or not it should happen, if Harper is defeated and he resigns as party leader, who would be best to replace him ? I don't know much about the possibles, though Flaherty seems to be even more of a polarizer than Harper, and Baird is a good linebacker but not a quarterback. I keep hearing the name Prentice - opinions ? Who else ?

Bob Rae?

 

[LancsLad]

I heard the rumour that there was a major ground swell of support building for the:



LancsLad for PM



campaign.



.


Note to woody/gayos: Not that PM you deviants.

 

[emerging44]

This government that was elected was formed 7 weeks ago. Although not a strong mandate they were elected the governing party. Th coalition has NO mandate from the people and if they went to their constituants they would be told as much!

You demonstrate a clear misunderstanding of our Parliamentary system! Governments are not elected, they are formed by someone who believes he holds the confidence of the majority of elected members of Parliament. He then presents himself to the Monarch's representative, the Governor General, and requests that he be allowed to become her First Minister.

In the current situation, Harper can no longer demonstrate that he holds the confidence of a majority of elected members while Dion can say exactly that. Therefore Harper is out, Dion is in! Also the coalition holds a greater mandate (sixty something percent) while the Conservatives hold less that 40.

Perfectly legitimate and entirely of Harper's making.

 

[gramage]

I heard the rumour that there was a major ground swell of support building for the:



LancsLad for PM



campaign.



.


Note to woody/gayos: Not that PM you deviants.

Running one of the current parties or starting your own?

 

[LancsLad]

Running one of the current parties or starting your own?

POT Party.






.

 

[emerging44]

A Harper resignation with Mccay taking over might keep the conservatives in power. Flaherty would have to go along with other Harris-ites and Mccay would have to return to PC principles.

McCay, or, how about Prentice? But definitely Harper, Flaherty, Baird and Clement gone.

 

[gramage]

Actually their are two POT parties ... one which calls themselves the EXTREME Marijuana Party ... they got 15 votes in my building.


bbk

At least the didn't spell it X-treme

But in this case POT= pissed off taxpayers, from another thread.

 

[red]

This government that was elected was formed 7 weeks ago. Although not a strong mandate they were elected the governing party. Th coalition has NO mandate from the people and if they went to their constituants they would be told as much! This is about power, nothing else. The parties that don't have it will do anything to get it. I can't believe that the Canadian people don't see right through all the lies. Our government is being over-thrown. The country has only one last chance at democuracy and this lise in the hands of the governer general whom I hate to say has seperatist ties.

This has so much more to do with one party and one leader and the media is diverting the attention away from the facts with their red tint.

Even if you don't like Harper or the conservatives can you not see that it is important to allow the canadian people the right to decide on their government. Put it to the people I would much rater pay for an election than watch this country crumble

"Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen." Sean Connery - The Rock