(updated)
153 – 150. The Prime Minister no longer enjoys the confidence of the House.
Paul Martin’s “rogue group” is now a Rogue Government.
Reaction
Stephen Taylor liveblogged the vote and grades the media.
Ed Morrissey is going to know more about Canadian parliamentary procedure than most Canadians do, by the time this whole fiasco is over.
Rempelia Prime – “If the government cannot defeat a motion which explicity states, �the House no longer has confidence in this government,� then on what authority does it continue to govern?”
Monte liveblogged via blackberry!
Just noticing the crawl at the bottom of the screen on CTV, where they mention that one of China’s “Gang of Four” has just died. Paul Martin is taking his place in history at just the right moment.
CTV Newsnet said harper rose like a cowboy from the wild west, and challeneged Dithers…. ya kind of know which side there on. Then in an attempt to redeem themselves Duffy said, based on Harpers comments to the media, that Harper is a very intelligent person, basically, and that Harper probably knows the constitutional challenge is valid or they wouldn’t have headed in this direction.
Fireworks tonight and tomorrow, as Harper called what Martin is doing dangerous.
Welcome to the new Canadian Gulag under the leadership of Comrade Martin and Comrade Layton. Let us hope our imprisonment is short.
I am no longer free.
I will never forget this.
I am educating my children vigorously.
Stupid, stupid Liberals.
The vote passed as expected. The Liberals ignored it – as expected.
Now what?
How do we rid our wonderful country of these thieves, liars, and bagmen before they bankrupt us for generations to come?
As Kate said, we now have a “Rogue Government”
How long can they cling to power before the sheep…, er citizens demand action?
Hey, Sienfeld is on, gotta go…
I’m not surprised at the audacity of the Liberals but I am a little confused. If they were going to ignore the fact that a lost vote is a loss of confidence in the House, why was he claiming that politics prevented him from being on time for the VE day parade? If losing the vote doesn’t count anyway…
Kate, I think Martin’s government has now earned the title of ‘Regime’. And, now, it has become an oppressive regime.
The news that the vote has passed is wonderful! Now how does Ontario get the Lieberal government to get off the throne??? Harper did not do this not having an understanding of the way Parliment works.It is up to the GG to make him go but we know whos side she is on. God help us all, think I will have a strong drink!
Have the Liberals no shame? Have they abandoned all sense of principle in order to hold on to power for a few more weeks? Has democracy left Canada?
I weep for my fredom loving friends in the north.
Even if you get rid of them, they’ll get to keep the money?
Looking for ideas for a new flag, thinking about something with a leaf shredder in it…. any ideas?
How about a gathering in Ottawa similar to the one in the Ukeraine?
Only with “blue” rather than Orange.
Time for “regime ” change.
Maybe Harper is thinking of bypassing GG AC and going directly to the Queen whilst she is in Saskatchewan/Alberta starting on the 17th and asking her to dissolve Parliament.
Oh, Canada,
I stand and mourn for thee.
Friend to our north
Seized by Liberal decree
The revolution must begin
it must begin tonight
The Libranos are so wrong
It’s time to set it right
Oh, Canada,
craving to be free
Oh, Canada
I stand and mourn for thee.
Oh, Canada
I stand and mourn for thee.
Free Canada!
(from your Americano, eh?)
At 8:10 p.m. EDT, the U.S. Associated Press moved this dispatch…
TORONTO (AP) � Canada�s Parliament passed a motion Tuesday recommending that the ruling Liberal party resign, but Prime Minister�s Paul Martin�s government and constitutional experts insist they don�t have to.
The opposition has been angling for a technical maneuver to bring down Martin�s minority government, which has been paralyzed for weeks by verbal brawls over a corruption scandal within the Liberal Party.
The opposition demanded the Liberals resign after the vote passed 153-150. Each member of Parliament stood to record their vote and the opposition Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois cheered when the final tally was announced. They say the Liberals have lost the confidence of Parliament.
But the Liberals, who are hoping to delay an election, dismissed the motion as a procedural matter.
The motion by the opposition Conservatives asked a committee to amend a report from last October to recommend the government resign because of its failure to address deficiencies in �governance of the public service.�
According to constitutional experts, it didn�t trigger an election because it was not an official non-confidence vote or a vote that defeated a money or budget bill. But they say a Liberal defeat could have political consequences and lead to paralysis in Parliament.
The Liberals are offering the opposition three days at the end of the month when they can try to topple the government in Parliament with formal motions of no-confidence.
Martin has pleaded with his opponents to allow his 10-month-old administration to remain in power until the federal budget is passed. That would kick in funds for national child- and health-care reform, and new military and defense spending.
Martin has said that none of the programs would come to fruition if he is toppled before the federal budget is approved by Parliament.
Martin recently made a deal with the opposition New Democrats, pledging another $3.6 billion in social spending and a promise to delay billions in corporate tax cuts. In return, NDP leader Jack Layton pledged his 19 MPs in the 308-seat House of Commons to help prop up the Liberals.
The Liberals have 132 seats in the 308-seat Commons. The Conservatives have 99 seats and the separatist Bloc Quebecois � who voted alongside the Conservatives � have 54 seats. That leaves one vacancy and three independents, whose votes could now make or break the outcome of a legitimate confidence vote if it is held later this month.
How many errors can you find???
http://www.nealenews.com
See Martin, the political pimp, in close contact with one of his squeezes.
The face of Marti: Corruption Inc.
Joe,
A gathering in Ottawa would really put the heat on, and would probably not force the librano hand, but would bring huge public attention to the scandal situation. With the Queen coming, this would be a TOTAL embarresment for the libranos.
bob,
Hmmm… doesn’t look like they can count….
Dictionary.com:
Rogue, noun:
An unprincipled, deceitful, and unreliable person; a scoundrel.
Rogue, adjective:
Operating outside normal, or desirable controls.
Rogue Payola Martini, with the rogue Librano$, is a rogue government.
Keep your powder dry.
Rob, here’s your flag.
http://sanityisnotstatistical.blogspot.com/2005/04/why-didnt-i-know-that.html
Keith… That’s it!!!!….. Perfect… tell JG to get his musket ready, we be marchin through…..
Just about every blog I’ve been to they been talking about tearing apart bananada, marching on the hill…. the anger is bulding exponentially now. It comes down to either Librano’s are doomed, or Canada is…. take your pick, but make a choice…
Gee… I got flamed because I agreed with the tent city in Ottawa…. Boo Hoo …. At least we know there are still some raving moonbats out there…
I have been reading lots of blogs today and aside from the
raving crackpot loonies like Kate McMillan, who advocates
for Aboriginals and their kids to be locked up, and
nutters like you, I don’t see anybody “taking to the hill”
talking about attempts to violently overthrow the govt.
You are seriously demented.
But I hope you “blogging whories” actually get up
off your asses, step away from your keyboards and
do something instead of whine all the time.
Yes, by all means. Storm Parliament Hill!
See what kind of “popular support” you idiots have.
*snicker*
Thanks Meaghan, Your concern enough to flame me only means the left is deeply affected by all this. Prepare to crawl back in the sewer.
I asked the same question over at Shotgun. What happened to the 3 Liberal votes?
I thought this was going to be a moot point since the Liberals would put down the motion.
2 Lib Cabinet Ministers away on personal business (ill, funeral). Cadman had chemo and could not travel.
If the Tories and Bloc consider this a vote of confidence, and they won the vote, then I hope that they have left parliament and are waiting to hear from the GG, either in the form of an election writ or a request to form a government.
If they return to parliament, they have conceded that the Liberals were right after all, that wielding power in Bananada does not require anything as nice as a majority of votes in the House of Commons.
Kate: Check out Warren Kinsella’s comments:
May 11, 2005 – Today will be a difficult day. Those of you who know me, know why.
Of last night’s events, all that one can say is this: spare us the focus-tested spin lines, and the sophistry about Parliamentary procedure, please. The House of Commons is the voice of the people, or at least it used to be. And, last night night, the people said enough is enough.
Enough! If they had left any sense of shame, they would end it now.
They won’t.
from:
http://www.warrenkinsella.com/musings.htm
I think history will flame the Liberals badly over this flagrant disregard of our parliamentary tradition – and they deserve every crispy scar.
Here is something that I saw on another, unrelated site:
There are four boxes of freedom:
The ballot box.
The Jury box.
The soap box.
The ammo box.
We need to start using them. Now.
The problem with the Tories & Bloc not showing up is that then the Libs/NDP could pass all kinds of bills with no opposition, since the Parliament hasn’t been dissolved. I suspect that would also be the case if both the Bloc & Conservatives resigned, causing the need for by-elections. Is there some sort of rule requiring a certain % of MPs be in attendance? or eligible to attend (in the event they all resign)?
I’m curious as to whether Cotler (funeral) and the ill Lib, Efford, who apparently is having tests done with respect to his diabetes, will be returning anytime soon. With respect to the funeral, I guess most likely. But you can stretch tests/medical problems out… maybe he’ll get a note from his doctor excusing him?
Tomorrow I will be in touch with my senators to point out that the United States is now dealing with an illegitimate government in Canada. I will suggest that a good first step would be having discussions with our State Department with respect to withdrawing our ambassador.
What a strange world we live in…
A US President is impeached, and simply ignores it.
A deadly, oppressive aggressive regime is toppled in Iraq and people complain.
A lying, cheating, obviously corrupt regime controls Canada and refuses to leave when they’re supposed to.
And the really, really big one: 30% of Canadians say they would still vote for the party of theft, lies, and corruption.
Yup. Black is white, and white is black.
Right is wrong, and wrong is right . . .
Hate to say it but the flamers probably right. Canadians don’t care. We just put our hands out and don’t care.
I’m grabbing a can of spray paint. I suggest you lot do the same. 1933, a swastika. If we DO nothing then we deserve nothing, if we risk nothing then we deserve nothing as well.
AND A ROGUE GOVERNMENT DESERVES NO RESPECT.
I believe we are now bordering on being governed by a “junta”
soup? Who’s “the flamer” ?
From Georgia to Canada – Let Freedom Ring!
May 11 – How ironic. How horribly, grieviously ironic. The media is covering President Bush praising the people of Georgia for their steadfast determination during the Rose Revolution and, at the same time, we are watching the Liberal Party clinging…
OK my fellow Canadfians. After living in the US for the last three years and watching the exposure of the corruption of the of the Liberals in Canada from afar but especially throught the eyes of great bloggers, LETS HEAR IT FOR TERM LIMITS. The Liberal Party has long relied on crass corruption to stay in power..from golf courses and failed hotels in Grandmere to criminal bagmen in Montreal, the stink is overshelming. And even now they just don’t get it. They think they can cling to power until we all forget it. The thing is, they underestimate us and our ability to communicate. SO LETS HEAR IT FOR BLOGS.