Canpol: Election Imminent?

[KrazyHorse]

Actually, I can see why she's pissed off with the direction the party took...

[Richelieu]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Actually, I can see why she's pissed off with the direction the party took...

Nah. I say she's dissapointed with MacKay's "performance"...

[joncha]

Harper sure looked bitter when he talked to the media about it. Can't say I blame him, though.

[KrazyHorse]

She's still dating him, though...

[Agathon]

She has a nice bottom.

[Richelieu]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
I knew there had to be something to it

but when I didn't know about it, it seemed pretty messed up

Jon Miller

It's a good thing your sig says that "you are. Canadian" cause someone might be confused about that.

[St Leo]

Whoa.

Stronach is totally going to get character assassinated by the Post for this.

Last week, she said it would be unfortunate if the Liberal government fell before the 2005 budget was passed because it contained measures on municipal funding that were of great importance to her constituents in the Toronto-area riding of Newmarket-Aurora.

Wouldn't it have been easier to stay with the Conservatives but just vote for the Budget? Aren't Conservatives the free-vote party?

Pressed on how her decision will affect her romantic relationship with Central Nova Scotia MP Peter MacKay, the deputy leader of the Conservatives, Stronach called that a "personal matter" that she did not intend to comment upon.

She also said she had the "greatest respect" for MacKay.

Oh, sweet Vishnu. Well, I think Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan is single. Just a suggestion.


I am hoping for a summer election. There's a good chance of one being precipitated by a Bloc non-confidence motion, as long as the Conservatives don't get cold feet. There's no incentive for the NDP to keep propping up the Liberals once the Budget and the federal marriage bill pass.

[Wezil]

Originally posted by St Leo
There's no incentive for the NDP to keep propping up the Liberals once the Budget and the federal marriage bill pass.

Really? They have more power now than they are liable to receive in an election. Jack has control of Finance. Pretty good incentive.

[notyoueither]

Wow.

[Agathon]

I'd thought you would have been spitting tacks, NYE – just like the restof Alberta if the news is to be believed.

[St Leo]

Oct. 17, 2003

How the right was won
Magna CEO Stronach played key role
Mulroney praises her as 'facilitator'

TONDA MACCHARLES, ROBERT BENZIE AND SUSAN DELACOURT
STAFF REPORTERS

OTTAWA—The builders of Canada's newest political party are Stephen Harper and Peter MacKay but the architect is Belinda Stronach — with a little help from Brian Mulroney.

Harper, the Canadian Alliance leader, and MacKay, leader of the Progressive Conservative party, put the public face on the deal yesterday, with a joint press conference to formally announce the death of their two parties and the birth of the new Conservative Party of Canada.

"It is not our goal to be a strong opposition," MacKay said. "Our goal is to be a strong government."

The usually taciturn Harper confessed he was so excited he hardly slept the night before. "It's like Christmastime, waking up," he grinned.

MacKay predicted electoral gains in Quebec and an end to vote-splitting in Ontario. Paul Martin, the Liberal prime minister-in-waiting, is expected to call an election next April.

But MacKay's predecessor, Joe Clark, said the merger will result only in "short-term gain.

"The long-term result would be to make Canadian politics less competitive by closing down the only national party whose base is broad enough to provide a genuine alternative to Liberal governments," Clark said in a written statement.

While Harper and MacKay were up front about the weeks of negotiations that led to yesterday's deal, Stronach, president and CEO of Magna International, and former Tory prime minister Mulroney played behind-the-scenes roles.

Stronach said in an interview yesterday that she spoke individually to both Harper and MacKay in June to urge them to merge their parties.

"Both leaders understood the need to combine the parties. Certainly corporate Canada would like to see that both parties merge together," she said.

When she met Harper and MacKay she said she was there as a "concerned Canadian citizen," but Stronach has strong ties to former Ontario premier Mike Harris, who could be a candidate — perhaps the leading candidate — to lead the new party.

"I expressed the need to have checks and balances in our political process, so that we can go forward and create and debate policies, which are good for Canadians and make for a stronger Canada," Stronach said.

"The three of us met ... in Toronto ... at the end of June and both agreed to the emissary process — that each would appoint two to three individuals that they highly respected to (bring) discussions towards the formation of the new party."

That did happen and the emissaries, including former Ontario premier William Davis, former Reform MP Ray Speaker and former Tory cabinet minister Don Mazankowski, began meeting a few weeks ago.

Mulroney and MacKay yesterday denied the former prime minister played a key role in the behind-the-scene talks.

But Mulroney, in a telephone interview from Berlin, agreed that whenever MacKay asked him about the merger, "I gave him my advice and my views."

Mulroney praised Stronach's involvement, saying she was put in the role of "facilitator to initiate this process and keep it on track from beginning to end."
...

Sweet mercy.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Agathon
I'd thought you would have been spitting tacks, NYE – just like the restof Alberta if the news is to be believed.

Indeed, some callers sound like they're chewing the power cord of their radio while barking madly on open line shows. Rutherford was interesting listening today.

I'm just stunned. I'm still trying to work out all the implications and possible outcomes.

I suppose I would be very angry if I hated the budget, but I don't. There is a lot in there that should be passed, and it will be sooner or later. So I'm not mad about the budget.

My main concern is/was that the government observe the conventions of the House. Since the opposition is accepting the budget vote on Thursday as acceptable, I'm happy. Harper and Duceppe still accomplished something in my book. They forced the government to bring the budget forward for a vote, and they seem to have forced the resumption of opposition days.

Still, it's not done. Neither Kilgour nor Cadman should be counted on to support the government on Thursday.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by St Leo

Sweet mercy.

Indeed.

[KrazyHorse]

Most political observers seem to feel that the Liberals are going to squeak this one out. They might not even have to go to the Speaker...

Checking the CBC's "comments" page on this one seems to indicate that many of your fellow Albertans oppose the very idea of an MP switching sides.

People don't vote for ****ing parties; they vote for individual candidates.

Maybe they're just pissed off and will get over it.

The Liberals will also probably get another member from Labrador on May 24...

[KrazyHorse]

Did you keep up the fight on the 1812 thread until it got deleted, NYE?

I woke up for 10 minutes around 2 am and saw you telling somebody that they "wouldn't know history if it bit them on the ass".