It looks like Canadian PM Stephen Harper, staring parliamentary defeat in the eye, has made just enough concessions on the budget–or, depending on your perspective, cosmetic changes that allow Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff to save face and back down from his predecessor’s commitments–that a coalition to replace the government will have been staved off.
(Any reader seeking background is encouraged to click Canada above, and read on!)
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Harper made no real concessions. New Liberal leader Ignatieff was apparently considering either bringing down the government or moving major amendments to the budget. He did neither, moving only a token amendment calling for quarterly reports which the government promptly accepted.
Did he fear an election? Yet 34 of Canadian top legal minds, a veritable who’s who of constitutional scholars, had just published an open letter to the Governor-General advising her to call on the leader of the opposition to attempt to form a government in the event of the budget defeat.
Apparently Ignatieff feared power: let Harper wear the recession. But can Ignatieff blame Harper while simultaneously supporting him? When the Liberals vote for Harper’s budget they will be casting their forty-fifth straight vote to keep Stephen Harper in office, as Jack Layton loves to say.
A mystery. Stay tuned.
Seed planted by Wilf Day — 31 January 2009 @ 17:13
“Harper made no real concessions.”
Wow.
- retained public subsidy for parties
- capitulated on public service pay
- no cuts to any dept budgets
- 21 billion in “stimulus” beyond a structural $13B deficit, for a rainbow of special interests.
If those aren’t concessions, I don’t know what the word means. Enjoyment of the benefits (and the interest payments) will feel real soon enough.
The Conservatives have chosen power, and thrown everything else to the wolves. Maybe Wilf is right, it’s not concession. It’s capitulation.
As for Ignatieff, he did what he always intended, the rest was show. He was smart to let Harper wear it. No Conservative since MacDonald has benefited electorally following a recession.
Seed planted by Ross Trusler — 02 February 2009 @ 04:21