Dion threatens to fall on election sabre;
The Canadian Press reported Thursday that the Conservatives have drafted a throne speech aimed at forcing the Liberals into a politically embarrassing abandonment of its Kyoto accord commitments.
Sources told the news agency that the Mr. Harper government believes the Liberals are so desperate to avoid an election that they’ll accept a speech describing Kyoto climate-change targets as unattainable.
The throne speech will have to be put to a confidence vote in the House of Commons that could trigger an election if Mr. Dion joins other opposition leaders to defeat it.
One option for Mr. Dion to sidestep the issue would be to have the entire Liberal front bench vote against the speech while the backbenchers abstain.
Mr. Dion didn’t rule out such tactics Friday.
“We will read the throne speech and we will discuss about it between us, taking into account only the interest of Canadians,” he replied.
So, if putting his precious Kyoto pooch out of its misery isn’t a glove thrown hard enough for Dion to step up and vote down the throne speech, then what is?
Here’s where our trusty readers come in. In the comments, share your suggestions as to what juicy bait Stephen Harper might include in the throne speech guaranteed to draw the rats out into the open.
For example; “In recognition of the constitutional right of provinces to control their resources, along with the critical need to secure reliable sources of energy for Canadians, the Government of Canada will exempt oil sands development from federal environmental and regulatory oversight.”
That should help get you started.
Mr. Speaker. We, the Government of Canada, recognize our great nation as a bilingual one, and as such put forth the proposed amendment of the Official Languages Act that will now require all leaders of Federal Parties to be able to pass a written and oral competency test in both French, and in English. As a show of good faith, we propose to publish the test results of the leaders of the Government and the Official Opposition within the next week.
Abolish the gun registry and give Canadians a US style 2nd amendment. To take out the senate would be nice and oh, not to forget, getting rid or a rewrite of the charter. One can only dream.
draw the rats into the open? when all the time they’re right before your eyes
The only question is about dion’s dog … what’s his/her new name.
I heard that dion is giving classes on eating hot dogs and getting on floats … he has actually done both of these activities … expert.
Bilingualism is a direct cause of global warming. How many trees are we killing in order to print English and French on everything? All so that three people east of Quebec can read their cereal box en Francais!
If Dion really cared about the planet he’d push for a unilingual Canada.
Harper’s stated intention to limit the feds’ involvement in provincial jurisdictions is, I believe, part of his bigger plan to eventually cut or freeze transfers to the provinces (outside of equalization) and use the savings to completely whack the GST (source: Anders, 2007, Harper passim). It also kills the Trudeaupian scam of strong central government.
How this relates to the throne speech? He says he will include some sort of proposal in the throne speech to officially limit what the constitution should be limiting in the first place, federal spending. If the Liberals sign off on that then that represents a pretty big shift in Canadian politics.
If it were me I’d go “This Government will respect the Constitution Act and celebrate diversity by allowing diverse provinces to diversely manage their own friggin’ diverse social programs. We recognize the will of Albertans as well as Quebeckers to run their child care and health care programs as they see fit and on their own dime.”
Bilingualism is a direct cause of global warming.
Absolutely, Sean.
It starts with all those parents that tick off French Immersion when they register their kids for school. They are no longer able to have their kids to walk to the school down the street but they now have to load them up for delivery. Families that have made the unenlightened choice of not wanting their children to be educated in pigeon French have to load up their kids and drive to schools in the other direction. Road congestion, idling SUV’s, where is Dr. Fruit Fly when we need him?
We the Government of Canada propose an ammendment to the Charter of Rights to include the following Common Law rights: The Right to Keep and Bear Arms for The defense of the Nation and Self; The Right to Hold and Enjoy Property; and, The Right to the Persuit of Happiness.
The question is: why are these rights missing from said Charter?
Initiate a Registered Lifetime Savings Plan (RLSP).
– All employed Canadians would be given an option of contributing up to 10% of their annual AFTER-tax income to a personal RLSP.
– This RLSP would be allowed to be invested in whatever investment vehicle the owner desires; stocks, Canadian, American, or international; mutual funds; GICs; treasury bills; commodities; etc…
– At the termination of one’s RLSP, after enough time that the RLSP is considered “mature” (say, 25 years+), any and all money which has accumulated would accrue to the RLSP’s owner ENTIRELY TAX FREE.
– Cut all employee and employer CPP contributions down by 40%, or even a greater amount, in one single go, i.e. maximum CPP contributions would drop to about $1140 per year; use some of the budget surplus to support any CPP payout shortfall until present recipients go to their ultimate “reward”; cut down present employee CPP benefits at the age of retirement by an amount which would match the drop in present contributions.
Sounds innocent enough, but here’s the kicker; make a minimum contribution (perhaps around 2% of an employee’s after-tax income… akin to the reduction in employee contributions to CPP) to a personal RLSP MANDATORY for any workers under the age of 30, NOT matched by employers, of course (they already are compelled to make matching contributions to CPP for each employee). Not only would this engender an awareness in working Canadians of the importance of investment, but it would have the added benefit of making all those left-leaning Liberals and socialist M.P.s in Ottawa go into apoplectic fits of frenzy… and then a great many of the goofs would actually vote for it anyway, just to save their political skins.
“The federal government will immediately begin to reduce subsidies for the CBC, and over the next five years will phase such subsidies out completely.”
Personally I will never forgive the CBC for how unfairly they have treated Harper over the last many years. May they rot in hell.
Bilingualism is a direct cause of global warming.
Ergo, Trudeau.
This is all just so “unfair”!
Good ideas, all. I especially like TJ’s. But of course the BEST way to force Dion to actually vote down the speech would be for Harper to signal an intention to formally allow some sort of privatized health care. That would just absolutely make Dion’s skin crawl.
Whether Harper would dare to head into an election with this as his keynote policy point is another question entirely. But it would most assuredly get him his election.
All dogs whose names begin with ‘K’ and end with ‘O’ shall be sacrificed to provide fur hats to warm the politicians’ heads in the House of Commons, in a bid to reduce energy usage by lowering the room temperature of the House by 10 degrees in the midst of the Ottawa winter.
More seriously, Dion’s four demands were (http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070926/throne_speech_070926/20070926?hub=QPeriod)
“Dion said the Oct. 16 speech must include Bill C-30 on climate change, make strides on ending poverty and helping families, address international economic concerns and provide clarity on Afghanistan”
Therefore, in the throne speech:
-abandon Kyoto
-do not address poverty and family specifically, but instead cut taxes immensely (income and corporate and one more point off the GST) and devolving spending power to the provinces and restrict federal intervention in provincial jurisdictions
-kill the wheat board and the gun registry
-end the subsidy to the CBC
-reform the senate
-more crime bills
-address measures to affirm sovereignty of the north
-measures to address cross-border issues with the US
Afghanistan has already been addressed by his expert panel, so no need to go there.
“This new parliamentary session will introduce legislation to reward married couples who produce children with increasing amounts of income tax reduction per child, knowing that future generations will bear the fruit of an increased domestic workforce. This will also benefit couples who choose to raise large families by letting them retain the income they earn, regardless of tax bracket. All such tax reductions will be rendered null and void in the event of a no-fault divorce.”
It would be fun to watch Dion turn inside-out at that suggestion.
TJ at @ 1:43 AM gets my vote.
“The Government of Canada recognizes that some of the great democracies of the word – such as Australia, Germany, Italy, Russia and France – have elected upper chambers, in which to better represent regional diversity. In this spirit, this government shall begin negotiations with the governments of New Brunswick, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, and the Yukon to create provisions for the election of Senators.”
Sources: Parliament Website –
Party Standings / Vacancies in the Senate:
Senators by Date of Retirement [a whole shwack in 2009]:
Make supporting the CBC financially an option on year-end tax forms. “Check this box if you would like to support the CBC (you pay an extra X dollars)”.
Sources: Parliament Website –
>3w.parl.gc.ca/common/index.asp?Language=E3w.parl.gc.ca/common/senmemb/senate/ps-e.htm3w.parl.gc.ca/common/senmemb/senate/isenator.asp?sortord=R&Language=E
The Government of Canada shall set aside amounts that would have been transferred to other nations to buy carbon credits and shall use these amounts to provide up to $500 per year of basic dental care to all minors across Canada.
The end to “An Inconvenient Tooth”…
The Government of Canada shall eliminate all taxes and fees that cost more to collect than they bring in in revenue.
The Government of Canada shall work to rationalize taxes and fees that are marginally revenue producing.
The Government of Canada shall recognize that health care is a provincial jurisdiction, and shall reduce federal income tax taxation by an amount equal to an increase in provincial income tax taxation such that the provinces collect their own money for health care and are free from federal interference in this provincial matter.
Ditto on jwkozak91 4:22
A start towards an elected senate (and I am hoping the beginning of a full EEE senate) would set the cat among the pigeons.
As many Canadian businesses,such as Molson’s,have been bought by large American Corporations, We the Government will sell the CBC to Fox News, Thus allowing us to cut taxes by a further 5%
Running the next election on the backs of those useless appointed senators is the ticket in my opinion. I heard the Prime Minister promise the senators he would run the election on their backs if they did not co-operate with reasonable reforms – this would be a ‘Promise made, promise kept’ theme as well as one that would get lots of support. Even leftoids resent the senate!
Gunny99 your suggestion is so true blue it makes my heart sing. If the PM put your words in the throne speech, I would be speechless (with joy).
“The government of Canada applauds the efforts of the United States under the leadership and foresight of George W. Bush to make the world a safer place”.
Nah, I can’t even say that with a straight face … but Dion’s skin would crawl … Layton would freak!
“THIS LAND IS OUR LAND – BACK OFF GOVERNMENT”
RANDY HILLIER MPP !!
Randy and The Landowner Faithful celebrate his Victory
Enshrine Property Rights in A New Constitution
http://ruralrevolution.com/website/
McGuinty, David’s Dare Ya To PM Harper.
…-
“If Harper really wants to prod Liberals into defeating his minority Tory government, McGuinty challenged him to declare that the government is going to repeal the Kyoto Implementation Act. He predicted such a move would prove deadly to Tory electoral hopes.”
“Who’s really trapped here? Let them go to the Canadian people (with that),” McGuinty said.” …-
http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/007202.html
parliment shall enact no law that does not apply equally to all canadians.
Take it one step further “old white guy”.
In recognition of the fact that it is in Canada’s interest to have a discrimination free workplace, all equity and job quotas will be illegal. All business must hire on skills and merit, not race, gender or language.
“As many Canadian businesses,such as Molson’s,have been bought by large American Corporations, We the Government will sell the CBC to Fox News, Thus allowing us to cut taxes by a further 5%”
==============================
That’s hilarious. It invokes images of certain CBC personalities scurrying for cover, like so many fat juicy ugly beetles under a rock that has just been lifted.
piperpaul @ 4:42, that is a good idea. Eliminate the portion of CBC funding that come from our taxes and let them raise their own funds by providing programming that people actually are willing to pay for. What a novel idea!!!
“Be it resolved that this government considers Dion to be such an unprincipled weeny, willing to save his sorry ass at all costs, that he will even vote in favour of a speech, that calls him an unprincipled weeny.”
1) Let’s have the government abolish the Human (sic) Rights Commissions, which are lefty-run kangaroo courts using hearsay evidence to charge law abibing Canadians, who are then presumed guilty until they prove their own innoncence.
The rules of evidence are not followed and hearsay evidence against the accused is allowed. It’s a given that the “panel” consists of left-wing, political appointees: sometimes only one.
The accuser’s expenses are paid for by the taxpayer, while the accused has to try to bail him/herself out on his/her own dime.
(These commissions have often been used to harass Christians: other groups which are altogether discriminatory are let off the hook. In fact, it is often members of these intolerant groups who use the commissions to try to reduce the freedoms of those with whom they disagree.)
Disgusting.
2) Another vote for TJ’s CBC proposal and my sentiments exactly re the CBC’s execrable treatment of Stephen Harper. Mixing my metaphors, the sooner this left-wing money-guzzler gets its wings trimmed, so much that it’ll be walking–slowly: no more flying–the better.
(On this score, could anyone here help me out? I was listening to Jergen Goethe on CBC Radio 2 in my car at about 4:20 p.m. Eastern Standard yesterday. In what he considered a clever little aside, he made a nasty comment about our fine PM. [It sort of trailed off: there, I’ve done it . . .] I was stunned [well, not really, I guess] and absolutely livid. But do I remember the slur? I had other things on my mind. If anyone can refresh my memory on this, I’d appreciate it.)
I honestly think the goal of the throne speach is to take more moderate stances on issues that voters will agree with, but that those stances will be in direct conflict to what Dion and the Liberals believe …
Further reduction of the GST by 1% as well as a reduction in personal and corporate income taxes as an example.
This is the perfect time for Harps to toss out the duck gun registry and defuse AG Bryant’s rants about banning target handgun permits to cure Jamaican drug gang violence in TO.
Harper will have to act as a defacto opposition party in morOntario to slap down the more ridiculous anti constirurional scheming of Dolton McSlimey and his band of flying evil monkeys.
Whereas the right to freedom of association is necessary in a free society be it resolved that union membership is voluntary from this day forward. Also, it is resolved that unions are forbidden from using member’s fees for political purposes. Any monies used for such activities must be raised outside the membership dues via voluntary donations.
dunny99 asks: “The question is: why are these rights missing from said Charter?”
Because you cannot have individual rights to property in a statist collectivist (communist)federal system. The courts would be clogged with peole ibjecting to the amount of state theft of property which occurs on a daily basis here….at the very least the collection methids for income tax would be abolished.
Whay no 2nd amendment….short answer; because collectivist statism under soviet commissariat styled public control (quasi-marshal police power) the state claims a monopoly on the use of armed force..and a monopoly on the morality of justified violence…similar in concept to the collectivist state’s claim of a monopoly on the redistribution of national and personal wealth.
“Persuit of happiness”..whew. that’s a tough one..why wouldn;t self determination rights be enumerated in the Red Charter? Probably because an individual’s “happiness” per se is subject to state approval.
I agree with posters who say we have to retool a real constitution to become a real country instead of the screwed up smug backwater we are…this PET charter is a menifesto for a Jurocracy to create a collectivist martial state by bench decree….and the BNA act is nothing but the decommissioned act of a foreign government which provided a minimalist subservient colonial governing structure.
Time to ignore retarded redski navel gazing and grow up as a nation…it’s about freedom and prosperity, not control and entitlement…ether we are a free federal democracy or we are some convoluted vice regal socialist oligarchy mutation with a limited democracy that changes juntas every decade when the 4th estate elite allow it.
We need leaders with civil integrity, national passion and a love for freedom to lead us there…judging by the quality of leadership and the political climate we will be wallowing in self doubt and low self-respect as a nation for decades to come.
Whereas the united nations may have seemed like a good idea once, it has degenerated into an organization that Canada is ashamed to have helped found. It is therefore the wish of Canada, to disassociate itself with the founding of such a racist and evil group. From here-in, Pearson international airport, named after one of the United Nations architects, shall be known as Mulroney International airport. This also recognizes the leader, solely responsible for the slaying of the deficit through the implementation of the GST and the implementation of free trade agreement, that has made Canada so prosperous. He is also the only Prime minister to have has any positive impact on the environment, having been voted Canada’s greenest prime minister.
“As the CBC is a taxpayer funded voice of the left and there is no corresponding taxpayer funded voice of the right, this Government will reduce the funding to the CBC by 50% and pay this money to Kate McMillan of smalldeadanimals.com, who has become a voice of the right with equal viewership to the CBC.”
“We will leave small paper bags filled with unmarked Canadian currency in random Italian restaurants throughout Montreal and Toronto for advertising executives who wish to switch allegiances from the Liberals to the Conservatives. The monies will be offset by cuts to French Immersion programs in English Kanaduh.”
I have a few favorites:
Amend the Charter of Rights to say the following: “Every Canadian has the right to own and maintain property.”
Amend the Constitution in the following ways: “The Canadian Senate should be composed of 100 members elected by the public in their respective provinces to four year terms. One half of the body would be elected every four years by proportionate representation.”
“5 Senators would be allocated per province. 1 for each of the territories. The other 52 Senators will be allocated based on population to the provinces.”
In regards to defense, the Tories should do the following: Expand the size of the Canadian Forces to 100000 personnel. Purchase 2 light aircraft carriers and escorts. Buy NEW submarines. Buy more C-17’s and aerial refueling tankers. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY RECREATE THE ROYAL CANADIAN ARMY, AIR FORCE, AND NAVY.
Cut federal spending in the areas of provincial jurisdiction as defined by the Constitution. Use these revenues to pay for the new defense goodies, tax cuts, and debt reduction.
Anyone notice that this poll is not being shown at all on ctv.ca, when i first saw it here i reconized the ctv signature so i went there, Where is it, I found it after i watched Duffy Live this morning.
And another part Not shown is that PM Harpers popularity is at 67% not 60% as Duffy reported, He did correct himself but they did not show it. When the neck & neck poll was displayed it lasted on the net for days.
“old white guy” and “kingstonlad”, your both on the right track with the discrimination angle, but you forgot one area, that being, discrimination based on wealth and income! ie income taxes! go flat tax!
brianr:”Anyone notice that this poll is not being shown at all on ctv.ca, ”
Maybe but I saw it get the gears from the Newman crowd on CBC…good gawd these people are such obvious schills for Trudeaupia…they had nothing but negative analogies to this rise in the polls…the number one loop-tape talking point was “Harper is a bully” treating poor Dion like this…and the Canadian people don’t want an election…and the high Tory poll numbers are “temprorary”…ferkissake give the disingenuous spew a rest…we really are not that stupid Don…what’s the age demographic for Newman’s show now 15-18???
Newman regular, Strawhead Delacourt sure looked like she got a bee sting on the butt with the poll results. It’s all down to that Harper mean streak don’t ya know. Treating poor Bill Casey so badly when he merely voted against the budget of his own Party! Geez, what’s in some heads for brains?
Kill the CWB.
“Tory Steven Fletcher (Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia) said while poll numbers can go up and down he’s pleased with the support the party is receiving in Manitoba.
“I guess I’ll buy the Free Press (today),” Fletcher said.”
Manitoba’s feeling Blue
Harper’s Tories gaining ground across Canada —and especially here, poll shows […]
STEPHEN Harper’s Conservatives have increased their political lead in Manitoba and are well positioned for gains within the province if an election is triggered this fall, a Free Press/Probe poll shows. […]
“The Harper Conservatives are on fire here [in Manitoba],” Probe president Scott MacKay said.
“You can see clearly the Tories are up. And the Conservative lead does include Winnipeg.” […]
Martin-NDP socialist says:
“I guess we’ll have to remind people if you re-elect the Tories the Canadian Wheat Board will go down,” he said.” …-
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/story/4057099p-4661592c.html
Kill the CWB.
“For example; “In recognition of the constitutional right of provinces to control their resources, along with the critical need to secure reliable sources of energy for Canadians, the Government of Canada will exempt oil sands development from federal environmental and regulatory oversight.””
LOL! That in itself would be enough to drive the Fiberals to stage their own version of the Jonestown Massacre.
shawn – great comment on the unions!! Exactly- the right of free association, which means that one can refuse union membership.
Actually, I refused union membership in Quebec, but, they still legally, took my dues. Therefore, this refusal has to mean more than empty rhetoric; if an individual refuses membership, they don’t have to pay dues.
The problem with that, is that any new agreement made by management and the faculty, would exclude you. So, rather than allowing an individual to refuse to be a member, I’d rather get rid of unions completely.
Great comments also on the Senate. And the CBC, and the CWB. And the gun registry. And Human Rights Commissions. And, get rid of bilingualism. Get rid of the Charter’s privileging of multiculturalism. And, get property rights in the constitution.
The new MSM description of Harper, is ‘bully’. They seem to have dropped the ‘hidden agenda’ as it’s become an empty metaphor. Incredible, how they simply can’t bear to say anything positive about him. The mean-spirited and malicious and partisan nature of our MSM is quite something.