Harpergeddon

BY PAUL WELLS

Tables and other data here, although the release doesn’t include the regional breakdown for the Big Question:

Who knew?

It’s not pretty, but this is what she has to work with

Liveblogging the non-live Prime Ministerial address

CBC Newsworld is reporting that the PM will, indeed, “address the nation” at 7pm tonight. The opposition will ask for equal time to reply. As soon as I know more, I’ll let y’all know. I guess this means ITQ will be hanging around outside Rideau Hall tomorrow morning, huh?

Remember that letter that the three then-opposition leaders sent to the Governor General in 2005? Well, here’s what happened next, according to one of the “Three Amigos” himself:
The “Three Amigos,” as the media dubbed us, worked on other reforms as well. Gilles Duceppe wanted all the changes we had agreed upon to be put forward in an amendment to the Speech from the Throne. As the most experienced Opposition leader, he clearly wanted to move into the driver’s seat, and successfully did so for the first couple of meetings. Forcing the Liberals to accept our recommendations as an amendment to the speech from the throne amounted to a game of parliamentary “chicken.” If the government refused, Mr. Duceppe pointed out, the three parties had enough votes to ensure its defeat. Waiting outside Mr. Harper’s office for our meeting to begin, I asked Mr. Duceppe what he thought would happen if the prime minister refused to accept such an ultimatum. He replied that a government defeat so soon after a general election meant the Governor General would then have to turn “to one of us” to form a government. We both knew that meant Stephen Harper and his Conservatives. I asked Mr. Duceppe if he could accept such an eventuality. He was not only clear that he could, but he would.

Stephen Harper, while less inclined to brinksmanship, nevertheless warmed to the seduction of Mr. Duceppe’s strategy. Under this scenario, Mr. Harper would become prime minister in an informal alliance with the Bloc. Unthinkable? Not to either Mr. Harper or Mr. Duceppe. The Bloc leader was willing to strategize for Stephen Harper to become prime minister, despite the Conservatives’ many negative policies – policies completely contrary to the desires and values of most Quebecers. While shocked, I could not say I was surprised.

Mr. Duceppe and the Bloc would have been key players in any Harper coalition, demanding significant dismantling of our collective capacities as Canadians as the price for his support. That dismantling was something that would coincide nicely with Mr. Harper’s ideological and visceral distaste for any federal government oversight or ability to intervene in any social or economic programs administered by the provinces but utilizing federal tax dollars.

Realizing immediately the full magnitude of what was at stake, I knew I had to walk away. I was not about to participate in any scheme cooked up by the Bloc and the Conservatives that would put the country in the hands of Stephen Harper. It was clear from the election results just three months earlier that Canadians were not ready to elect Mr. Harper as prime minister. In fact, judging from the results, Canadians were not particularly keen on any one of us being in control. None of the four parties in the House had succeeded in receiving the support of even two of every five voters. My decision made, I informed the other Opposition party leaders that I was withdrawing from the talks. The Three Amigos were down to two.

The other two Opposition parties made it clear that, with my withdrawal, the NDP had lost any bargaining leverage. But, as it turned out, the NDP proposals were included in the package of amendments. It’s just that we didn’t secure any credit for the effort. So be it.

In my judgement, shared by the NDP caucus, it was far more important to respect the wishes of Canadians. Namely, that the minority House constructed by the voters in that peculiar collective wisdom that unfolded on election day be respected and given a chance to show what it could do. And it was even more important that my party not participate in any plot to turn over the country to a difficult and potentially devastating marriage of the Conservatives and the Bloc.

-“Speaking out louder” by Jack Layton (p. 340)

Passed along by the Prime Minister’s office, according to Kory Teneycke, in order to “[share] them with the public along with other information  on 3rd party efforts to oppose this undemocratic coalition with the separatists”.

For Immediate Release
December 1, 2008

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, New Democrat Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe will hold a press conference

Date: Monday, December 1, 2008
Time: 4:30 PM
Location: Railway Room
253-D Centre Block
Ottawa, Ontario

Please note that all details are subject to change. All times are local.

– 30 –

Man, if only we could get some excitement around here:
Opposition deal would oust Harper, pour billions into economy

December 1, 2008 – 14:00

THE CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA – Opposition parties have reached a tentative deal that would see Liberal Leader Stephane Dion take over as interim prime minister and pump billions of dollars into the economy.

But some hurdles still stand in the way of the plan to oust Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s minority government next week.

…to the parliamentary meltdown already in progress