Categories: Capital Read, Inside the Queensway

UPDATED: The day just got shorter. Or longer.

by kadyomalley on Friday, November 28, 2008 11:38am - 83 Comments

The day just got shorter

At this point, I’m not sure if the threeway opposition love (or at least not hate) train can be stopped, but I think this constitutes a prime ministerial blink:

Conservatives back down on controversial party funding changes

November 28, 2008 – 11:29

THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA – The Conservative government says an incendiary plan to strip political parties of their public financing won’t be included in a confidence vote on the fall fiscal update.

Government sources say only tax measures will be part of the ways and means motion that parliamentarians will vote upon on Monday.

It’s a sharp reversal for the minority government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

When the fiscal update was delivered on Thursday, government officials and Finance Minister Jim Flaherty expressly stated the party financing measures would be considered matters of confidence.

But with the Liberals and New Democrats in deep discussions about a potential coalition government should the Tories be defeated, the Conservatives are pulling back.

The party financing measures would effectively gut the opposition parties, who are far more dependent on public subsidies than is the Conservative party.

UPDATE: Okay, the latest CP update pretty much scotches the idea that backing down on political financing (which they’re not actually doing, you’ll notice, since it was never going to be in Monday’s Ways and Means motion in the first place) will kill off the New New Spirit of Cooperation (NNSOC):

A government source now claims the elimination of the $1.95-per-vote subsidy was never intended to be part of the ways and means motion, which will be voted on Monday evening.

But Liberals and New Democrats say that dropping the financing measures will not influence their decision to vote against a fiscal update they say provides no economic stimulus at a time when Canada is entering a recession.

Tags: breaking news, governmentdownbringingwatch 2008, huh

More by kadyomalley

Gabe

“Kady O’Malley: If the opposition parties ignore this blinklette and carry on with the coalition talks, it takes away the main Tory talking point du jour: that they’re motivated purely by self interest and entitlements.”

Precisely! The ‘retraction’ now makes it impossible for the opposition parties to support the Ways & Means motion for the fiscal update because it will appear that was their *only* objection. If Harper is the ‘brilliant strategist’ that many seem to think he is, then it would seem that his plan is to be defeated by a coalition because he knows what no one else does – things are way worse than he’s been telling us, and he doesn’t have a clue about what to do.
Andrew (not Potter or Coyne)

There is no way in hell we’d have a second election within weeks of the last while the Liberals and NDP are willing to work together, and the Bloc doesn’t rule out supporting on an issue by issue basis. Jean won’t be using her gut in this decision. This is a pretty clear situation: if someone is willing to try to gain the confidence of the House, they should be given the chance to try.

One thing I thought was amusing: Is another $350 million election Harper’s stimulus package? These things do create lots of temporary jobs.
Deep Throat

URGENT-Fiscal-Update-Vote,@
INDEX:Finance, Politics@
Update:RECASTS with Liberal confidence motion; will be budgeted writethru@
Liberals propose non-confidence motion, governing coalition@
OTTAWA – The Liberal Opposition plans to introduce a motion in the House of Commons on Monday declaring non-confidence in the minority Conservative government and proposing a governing coalition.
The motion comes as emissaries from the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois hold talks about forming a new government should Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s minority fall.
But Harper could still avert the immediate defeat of his weeks-old government through procedural tactics.
The Liberal motion, which has the approval of the NDP and Bloc Quebecois, reads:
`In light of the government’s failure to recognize the seriousness of Canada’s economic situation and its failure in particular to present any credible plan to stimulate the Canadian economy and to help workers and businesses in hard-pressed sectors such as manufacturing, the automotive industry and forestry, this House has lost confidence in this government and is of the opinion that a viable alternative government can be formed within the present House of Commons.’
A source says the opposition parties have agreed that Liberal Leader Stephane Dion would lead the government for the next few months.
(The Canadian Press)
14:31ET 28-11-08
Deep Throat

URGENT-Fiscal-Update-Vote,@
INDEX:Finance, Politics@
Update:RECASTS with Liberal confidence motion; will be budgeted writethru@
Liberals propose non-confidence motion, governing coalition@
OTTAWA – The Liberal Opposition plans to introduce a motion in the House of Commons on Monday declaring non-confidence in the minority Conservative government and proposing a governing coalition.
The motion comes as emissaries from the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois hold talks about forming a new government should Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s minority fall.
But Harper could still avert the immediate defeat of his weeks-old government through procedural tactics.
The Liberal motion, which has the approval of the NDP and Bloc Quebecois, reads:
`In light of the government’s failure to recognize the seriousness of Canada’s economic situation and its failure in particular to present any credible plan to stimulate the Canadian economy and to help workers and businesses in hard-pressed sectors such as manufacturing, the automotive industry and forestry, this House has lost confidence in this government and is of the opinion that a viable alternative government can be formed within the present House of Commons.’
A source says the opposition parties have agreed that Liberal Leader Stephane Dion would lead the government for the next few months.
(The Canadian Press)
14:31ET 28-11-08
Andrew (not Potter or Coyne)

Wowzers. I can’t believe this is happening.
Michael

I’m so excited! A coalition government supported by a separatist party that wishes to destroy Canada! What more could we want?
It will be great news for western Canada where voters voted Cons 71, Libs 7. Separation anyone?
Sisyphus

No need to separate. A firewall will do.
Mike Horn

Lets look at this calmy. First of all the seperatists have propped up minority governments before. This gives them limited bargaining power and some prestige at home and little else. Secondly the issue of Liberal leadership is not really that complicated. Dion is the leader right now and won’t be after May. Niether of these facts can legally be altered without an election. Third a coalition gov only needs one idea to unite around. That they would rather be governing that opposing. So long as they keep thier goals modest then what do they have to squabble about?
Lastly we might as well assume that coalition cabinets are a european thing that we’ll never see here.