What Could Have Been?

As I mentioned at the time of the Great Canadian Coup d’état, Harper should not have tried to seek to prorogue Parliament.

If he lost the confidence vote, he could have demanded an election. If the coalition agreed, he was a cinch for a majority. Were the Liberals going to run with Dion again? Impossible. They would have backed off completely if faced with this. Harper should have called the bluff.

He could have let the Governor General decide to allow the Coalition. Imagine that clown Dion presenting this horrendous, mega-deficit budget? What a scenario: The Liberal leadership candidates squabbling all the way until May at the convention; Jack the Mustache annoying the hell out of the public as a cabinet minister; Gilles Duceppe is lauded in Quebec for all the extra pork; The PR would be so bad, it would guarantee a Tory majority in the future. Iggy’s career would be permanently damaged.

Instead the Conservatives own this terrible pork-barrel budget. Lefties won’t even appreciate it, and conservatives are repulsed. It looks like things are going to get worse, no matter what's in the budget, so it gives the Liberals a chance to say it wasn't their fault.

The only hope is that the opposition votes it down today. I doubt the Liberals will be so foolish.

Globe and Mail Contortion Experts

These little headline gymnastics from the G & M gave me a laugh.

The headline: Duceppe trumpets coalition's strength

The sub-headline: Bloc Québécois Leader doubts Prime Minister will change tone and meet Liberal-NDP demands on budget

The opening of the article (A CP wire re-publication):

MONTREAL — Gilles Duceppe says his party's coalition with the Liberals and New Democrats is just as robust as it was before the Governor-General prorogued Parliament last month.

The Bloc Québécois Leader said he would be surprised if Prime Minister Stephen Harper changed his tone and met the coalition's demands in next week's federal budget.

I love how the G & M add in the sub-headline that these are "Liberal-NDP" budget demands, like its coming out of Duceppe's mouth. Like Duceppe and the Bloc don't have any demands and might not even be a part of the coalition. In the CP article it is quite clear that Duceppe is speaking as a member of the coalition.

Globe and Mail Pretends that the Bloc Quebecois Aren't Part of the Coalition Again

Iggy is threatening to vote down the new Tory budget. The Globe and Mail has the scoop.

“If the budget does not respond to the circumstances, if the budget is not up to the level of the crisis we are all facing, we must vote against it.”

Mr. Ignatieff did not mention the Liberal-NDP coalition, which is supposed to be waiting in the wings to take power if Mr. Harper's Conservatives are defeated in a budget vote.

Funny, the Globe and Mail didn't mention the other Coalition member, the Bloc Quebecois. I think we may have a complete rewind from the fall with the same talking points. I hope the Liberals try to force this no confidence vote again. If they try to seize power or force an election they are in big trouble.

Once again, what a rag the once proud Globe and Mail is for openly propagandizing for the Liberals. They pretend the Coalition does not contain the Bloc. Shame!

As I wrote back in December the Liberals (and their media backers), think we're so stupid, we don't notice that the Bloc are part of the deal. One day they have a public signing together, the next they say the Tories are out of order suggesting that the Bloc are part of it.

In the Quebecois Press Today

"Bloc MPs are duly elected by Québec voters. They are not traitors, they are not the enemies of Canada."

- Michael Ignatieff (From LeDevoir, translated from French)

Poll: Quebecois Want the Coalition to Form the Next Government

In Quebec 62% of respondants want the Coalition to form the next government. They've voted the speratists Bloc Quebecois to a majority of their federal seats since 1993. Let's reward them with a government! Only in Canada! (story)

Moreover, he said Quebecers who park their votes with the separatist Bloc Quebecois likely see the coalition as a way to get a better deal for Quebec.

"(They) wouldn't mind kind of dislodging the federal Conservatives and putting the Bloc in position to exercise more influence."

Well they would think that way, wouldn't they?

Canadian Coup d'Etat 2008: Winners and Losers

Winners

Stephen Harper: If you watched the CBC and read the Globe and Mail during this episode, you would have thought that he caused the whole thing, and needs to resign immediately. The propaganda didn’t work. Canadians rejected the coalition. A new COMPAS poll has Conservative support at 51%. That would bring a massive majority if an election were held today.

Gilles Duceppe: He’s a sly fox, and I respect him. His electorate in Quebec knew that the Bloc agreeing to this deal would bring extra goodies. He made it clear that his government only does what’s good for Quebec. I’m sure he had a chuckle watching the Liberals and NDP squirm trying to pretend that the Bloc weren’t part of it. Quebecers knew it, and the overwhelming amount of people in the rest of Canada knew it. Now if only he’d use those talents to motivate Quebec to separate and save us the hassle.

The Canadian Public: I’m glad to see the Canadian public saw a power grab, recognized the skunk in the room and were properly outraged.

The Jury is Out

Michael Ignatieff: I say Iggy is a Cassius figure who watched, and probably encouraged the clown Dion to try this stunt, in the hope of ruining Harper, while taking no risk himself. If he ends up Prime Minister in a few years, he’s a genius. If not, he’s an un-honourable Cassius figure who stirs things up but crawls away when the going gets tough.

Bob Rae: He is taking the lead to sell this Coup to try and topple the government when it comes back in January. He’s rolling the dice. It’s the only chance he has. This is the guy who destroyed Ontario when he was Premier in the early 90’s. Don Quixote tilts toward the windmills.

Jack the Mustache: The NDP is the fourth party. They’ll never form a government. This is his shot at the big time. It’ll never get this good.

The NDP: A power grab is always good in socialist circles. Because they know they’re RIGHT Goddammit! (See 1917, Russia.) Who cares about voters! They don’t know what’s good for them!!!

Losers

Stephane Dion: The Coup failed. He was a dupe figure-head like Brutus. He was used and got reminded again that Canada can’t stand him. Then the late tape submission, and the unfocused recording. Some might feel sorry for him. I don’t. He looks like the type of kid you couldn’t stand in school, and as his revenge he’d tell the teacher on you.

Justin Trudeau: I don’t know a lot about the guy, but Mike Duffy asked him how his father would feel about making deals with separatists. He tried to explain it away weakly that these were different circumstances. He looked, and sounded like a member of a boy’s band. (New Libs on the Bloc.) Go back to teaching drama.

The Liberal Party: They are dead in the West and most of Ontario. Quebec thinks they’re a joke.

UPDATE: My brother made a good point. Bob Rae is another Joe Clark. A failure and a disgrace who won't go away because he has nothing better to do.

Memo to Harper: Give Them Rope to Hang Themselves

Let them go and form a government. Lame Duck Dion, the Separatist and Jacko the Mustachioed Socialist. What a terrible cast, time and situation for a coup.

What surprises me is that Iggy is letting it happen. He's rolling the dice on these clowns with his future on the line.

UPDATE: The backlash is already in full swing, even in the Liberal stronghold of Toronto

Prediction: This time next week, this will all be flamed out.

UPDATE II: Uproarious Question Period in the House of Commons today. Great viewing. Don't miss the highlights on the news. Harper performed at the top of his game.

UPDATE III: Dion was taking questions from the press in the lobby and saying it is good for national unity to have the Bloc in the government. Oh boy, that's not going to play well in the west.

UPDATE IV: As per reader Fydor's request, the direct quote from Dion, when asked about the Bloc being part of the coalition is: "I think it's good for unity." I still do not have the video for it.

An Important Member of Our New Government

* Note, caption was translated from the original French.