CanPol: Throne Speech

[Victor Galis]

http://www.sft-ddt.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=1364

Full text not included because it exceeds the post size limit.

I find it largely unobjectionable personally except for some of the parts of the crime section. Obviously it could have included other things or been focused differently, but all in all it could have been a lot worse. Do you think it will be voted down?

[Wezil]

Canpol thread. Good call.


It won't be voted down. Too many Liberals will have political flu for that to happen.

This fall could be very ugly for the Liberal Party if the Conservatives are allowed to line them up for slaughter so easily.

[Victor Galis]

Yeah... I really was expecting something more objectionable. Though I guess Harper might want to get some borderline stuff through first so he can claim some victories before the election.

[Wezil]

There was some pretty objectionable stuff in there. The Libs will have trouble with the crime bill(s), decentralization will irk them, and Dion just took a trashing on the environmental front.

The Libs will be in increasing trouble over the coming weeks as these pieces of legislation come up in the Commons and they are forced to vote in favour or go to the polls. Every time Dion refuses to vote against the Government to avoid an election (with his party in such disarray) he will lose support among non-Liberals b/c he will appear a weak and indecisive leader.

I think Dion is absolutely screwed and so long as Harper makes no serious gaffs in the next few months there will be plenty of Liberal blood on the floor next election.

[Victor Galis]

Yeah

[DanQ]

Re: CanPol: Throne Speech

Originally posted by Victor Galis
Full text not included because it exceeds the post size limit.

Understatement...

[Wezil]

I was wondering what dragged you into a CanPol thread. You seem very apolitical to me....

[Ben Kenobi]

Some good things in there. I'm curious what they mean by the carbon trading stuff. I thought we could get rid of that nonsense already.

[DanQ]

Originally posted by Wezil
I was wondering what dragged you into a CanPol thread. You seem very apolitical to me....

I do read those threads here that are Canadian related and at times other countries' too, on history and politics, but rarely participate as many know. I keep most of my political opinions to myself most of the time but it wasn't always that way (in my pre-Poly days). I do this for several reasons now that are best not discussed in this thread.

[CrONoS]

@Ben

Why is this a bad idea? The cap & trade?

If it's correctly implemented it can be a pretty good system.

[snoopy369]

What exactly do you mean by "vote for it or force a poll" ... does anything the government propose require this choice, or is it a special thing? If it is that way, that's pretty screwed up...

[Wezil]

Originally posted by snoopy369
What exactly do you mean by "vote for it or force a poll" ... does anything the government propose require this choice, or is it a special thing? If it is that way, that's pretty screwed up...

Conservatives have a minority government and the Libs are the largest opposition party. If they show up for the vote on the throne speech and vote their principles the government will fall.

Each issue labelled an issue of "confidence" to be voted on this fall will be the same dilemna for the LIbs. Vote against what they believe or go to an election.

[snoopy369]

Does this "confidence" label come from the conservatives or the liberals (or is it default from some element of it, like budget or something)?

Sounds like a silly way to run things to me ... constantly running elections any time a significant bill fails (thus encouraging this dilemma).

[Kuciwalker]

It makes sense. If the government is unable to get its major functions (e.g. budget) passed then there should be a new election so that presumably a government that can will be elected.

[snoopy369]

No, because it discourages the leading party from working with the Opposition party, assuming the leading party feels it will still do fine at the polls. In the US system, the leading party in the house is forced to work with the minority party to get something passed, or else it will simply stop the government entirely, which looks quite poor to the voting public.