Beyond The Commons

 Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

The Conservative-NDP coalition

by Aaron Wherry on Friday, February 18, 2011 4:22pm - 35 Comments

A note just sent out from the NDP press office.

New Democrat leader Jack Layton is currently meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss our expectations for the federal budget. The meeting is at the request of the Prime Minister.

… And now the post-meeting statement from Mr. Layton.

Earlier today, I met with the Prime Minister in his Langevin office. Mr. Harper requested this meeting to discuss the New Democrats’ expectations for his upcoming budget. Our talks were cordial and respectful.  The Prime Minister offered no assurances, but I am confident that my proposals were received and well understood.

My message to Mr. Harper was this: It’s time to put the political games aside and focus on immediate action to help families make ends meet.

I put forward to the Prime Minister a set of reasonable, affordable proposals – all focused on taking the pressure off the Canadian family budget. These were the same practical solutions that I’ve been sharing with Canadians over the last few months.

·         Taking the federal sales tax off skyrocketing home heating bills and restoring the EcoEnergy Retrofit program.

·         Helping our most vulnerable seniors with an affordable increase to their Guaranteed Income Supplement.

·         Ensuring that Canadians can count on their pension when they need it – by strengthening the Canada Pension Plan.

·         And taking immediate action to ensure that 5 million Canadians no longer have to go without a family doctor.

These are all concrete, reasonable solutions that I’m confident all party leaders can support.  It’s time to roll up our sleeves and get them done.

I made clear to Mr. Harper my disappointment in the state of leadership in Ottawa. Instead of focusing on the needs of middle-class families, all too often, party leaders are focused on their own interests and political gain.  The result is that the well-connected are getting all of the breaks, while most Canadians are barely getting ahead.

Canadians want to be able to trust their leaders in Ottawa.  Trust that they’ll put their differences aside and work together to get things done.  Trust that their record will match their words.

Our New Democrat record is clear.  I am always ready to work with other party leaders to get immediate action for Canadian families.

And so now the Prime Minister has a choice. If Mr. Harper wants to head into an election showing that he is unable to put the needs of Canadians ahead of his own political goals, New Democrats are well prepared to fight that election.

If the Prime Minister is serious about getting things done and giving Canadian families a break, there are concrete New Democrat solutions on the table.

… And now, via Twitter, word from the Prime Minister’s Office.

PM Harper met with Mr. Layton earlier today. They had a positive sharing of views about initiatives that matter to Canadians.

The PM was pleased to hear Mr. Layton’s views. As the PM has stated publicly, this is not the time for an opportunistic election.

The Prime Minister indicated that our Government will continue to focus on what really matters to Canadians – jobs and economic growth.

The Prime Minister is always willing to listen to what other opposition leaders propose; specific ideas.

Tags: , , , , ,

Bookmark and Share
  • http://twitter.com/Lawson1945 @Lawson1945

    Do coalition actually work do you know of one that did, I think we only had one that did under the old communist party called the CCF

    • Emily

      That was a political party in Alberta, not a federal coalition govt.

      It also wasn't communist…we already have 2 communist parties in Canada running under Communist Party of Canada, and the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada.

      But yes, we've had coalition govts in Canada, and they've worked well.

  • Emily

    LOL this country is positively hip deep in coalitions….!

    • Jan

      Coalitions in Waiting. Like the dairy farmers and the auto manufactuers…

  • Thwim

    Hallelujah. Even if what I expect comes from this (nothing) it's good that he's making the show.

  • OldJasper

    In the current British power-sharing arrangement, did the parties get joint picks for their PMO?

    • Emily

      The agreement is online.

  • Mike R

    When a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully. ~Samuel Johnson

    I see being at 14% in the polls has the same effect.

  • BC Blue

    Wherry wore out his lame Conservative "coalition" meme long ago.

    • Emily

      Well Harper talks about it all the time, and will campaign on it.

      • Mark

        And aren't you just as tired of Harper beating the same dead horse?

        Or are we now at the "but they started it!" phase?

        • Emily

          Canada is full of dead horses being beaten.

          Personally I"m sick of horses, period.

  • Richard_S_Argent

    You should probably ask that question of John Baird…as that is who Wherry is pretty obviously making sport of.

    • MostlyCivil

      "willfully ignorant"…

      "Doctor, we need a sense of humour over here, Stat!"

  • Anon

    How can Harper comply with these demands? How will he pay for them? Has anyone done the math because there seems to be at least two billion dollars in demands there? How does Layton expect these to be paid for — increasing coporate taxes, personal taxes, other spending cuts?

    • Jan

      God will provide…

    • Out There

      How does Layton expect these to be paid for — increasing coporate taxes, personal taxes, other spending cuts?

      You could ask the same question of the Prime Minister: how is he going to pay for those prisons and fighter jets?

  • Rick D’s

    Dance with the one that brung you. These guys have had a mutually beneficial relationship for over 5 years now.

  • tobyornotoby

    We have a coalition in the making that sounds like a dysfunctional marriage of 27 years:

    He: "We're willing to work together for the benefit of the family by addressing the following important issues."

    He: "What did he say? I'm sure it was something you'd hear at United Church and I assume he's willing to go along with whatever I say."

  • http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/ Open_Democracy

    Mr. Layton,

    Since the Conservative Party of Canada loves to bring up Mr. Ignatieff's past, please remember that this is what Mr. Harper said about your Party some years ago:

    http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2011/01/is-s…

    • TimesArrow

      I found particularly repulsive the reference to the NDP linked clergy being not real christians[ especially when viewed in the context of his earlier NDP = devil joke]. Probably he was joking, but considering his audience he could as likely have been toadying.

  • Derek

    The Liberals have propped up Harper over 100 times in exchange for NOTHING. The NDP has done so ONCE in exchange for $800 billion worth of enhanced EI benefits. Who is the cheaper date???

    • Deja

      And Harper jacked up EI premiums on employers AND employees.

      Thanks, Steve. Thanks, Jack.

  • chet

    It says something that Wherry's principle attack against Harper, has at its core, a dishonest premise.

    Fair, honest and right minded Canadians, know very well the distinction between a formal coalition in which parties form a government together,

    and ad hoc issue by issue cooperation on issues – which happens in every single government, and by necessity, happens with every single bill

    every single bill,

    in a minority situation.

    • hosertohoosier

      Actually the coalition thing is a subset of Wherry's broader formula:
      1. False equivalence
      2. Scream hypocrisy

      Evidently he was hired for quantity, not quality.

  • Crit_Reasoning

    I predicted this outcome a month ago. It wasn't hard, considering that the NDP was the only party willing to deal.

    • hosertohoosier

      Or rather, the only party down enough in the polls to cut a deal.

  • burlivespipe

    "The PM was pleased to hear Mr. Layton’s views. As the PM has stated publicly, this is not the time for an opportunistic election."

    Yes, only Harper gets to dictate when he can force an opportunistic election* – see broken promise 146, 2008 federal election.

  • wilson

    The Conservative-NDP coalition

    What????? Jack and Olivia have seats in cabinet!
    Say it isn't so.

    Oooooh, it isn't so.
    It's just 2 parties working together in a minority Parliament to formulate a budget.

    Something the Liberals have not been party to since Iffy parachuted into the leadership.

    • …

      Ahh, so it wasn't a coalition with the separatists then, since they weren't getting seats in cabinet. Cool. So they can drop that part, right?

  • Deja

    I recall a certain PM Martin making a deal with this Mr. Layton — increased social funding in the budget in exchange for not bringing down the minority government or something to that effect.

    Mr. Martin upheld his end in the budget. Mr. Layton? … well, despite Martin's public pledge to hold an election one month after the Gomery report was tabled, Jack withdrew his support and threw in his lot with the member from Calgary SW. We had an election in the midst of an ongoing scandal and ended up with … a minority government. Sure there was lots of talk about transparency and accountability, but that's not exactly what we got, is it?

    Good ole Jack. Always looking out for the interests of the average Canadian.

  • http://secondthots.blogspot.com Dennis_F

    The Wherry-Liberal coalition!

  • Tceh

    In October 2006 the NDP voted in lockstep with the CON artists to double tax Income Trusts and destroyed the wealth of average Canadian Investors to the tune of $35 billion in a couple market days, many of investors were seniors living on a fixed income and looking for additional income thru Trusts. The NDP supporting the little man against the big bad CONs? Don't think so.

  • Derek

    The NDP pledged to support the Martin Liberals for SIX MONTHS in April 2005. In October 2005, that six months was up and Layton said that if the Liberals wanted an extension of NDP support they would have to agree to enforce the Canada Health Act and crack down on provinces that were allowing private clinics. Martin refused to make any concessions at all because he thought he could win a snap election – unfortunately, the Liberals ran a dreadful campaign and the rest is history. The Liberals have NO ONE TO BLAME BUT THEMSELVES for the fact that they lost power.

  • austinso

    It's kinda humorous to see how often Jack is willing to go back to the altar with the same CPC groom that ditches every promise ever made to him…

Previous

Next

From Macleans