maldon_road

Sure it is. But this guy is supposed to be one of their "stars" and all he can run in is one of the safest seats in the country for a Lib?

As for the workplace Bill 101 only applies to provincial jurisdiction. Duceppe wants to extend it to the federal industries.

I don't know who the "Charter expert" is but when it comes to the workplace Bill 101 does not apply to federally regulated businesses - such as banks and forms in telecommunications and interprovincial transportation.

This would require the few remaining head offices of federally regulated companies in Montreal to use French as the language of work. For various reasons, the banks, CPR, Bell have left Quebec to set up their HO elsewhere. HOs have to attract people from all across the country to come and work and this would not help that. I wonder how long CN would stick around?

Any body of science is subject to challenge and I think sufficient doubts have been raised about the data and methodology used by the global warmers. I think now were are at a stage where the catastrophic predictions of such people (I saw one such the other day predicting the worst calamity in human history by 2050 if we don't do "something") are being being met with a fair degree of skepticism. Add to that the fact that the day that Al Gore got the Nobel Prize (a political award) a judge called the impartiality of his movie into question.

Well, with Gore out of the race the environment is not going to be a key issue. The candidates will continue to concentrate on matters like immigration and Iraq. As for statistics, that won't prove anything. Politicians are past masters at using only figures to support their policies resulting more often than not in public confusion. Only the public can make global warming a big issue - when sufficient of them believe there is an immediate crisis and pester the politicians to do something about it. This yet might come about. There are still the UN sponsored "son-of-Kyoto" and the Bush sponsored talks coming up later this year. That might get some attention among US voters but I expect not. liberal? Don't think so. I'm a fair bit more conservative than the average Canadian.

That's the point I was making. The Dionites will reject it at their peril.

Principles? Liberals? They should run Garneau in Outremont. So long as it remains NDP it will be a burr up Dion's ass.

As an example, George Will, whom I quoted above and no doubt countless other right wing writers who would get involved in the event that global warming were likely to become a significant issue in the US elections. Don't overestimate the intelligence of the American people to understand things - remember, they voted for George Bush twice.

More sabre rattling. I'm sure that Harper doesn't want to be defeated on an issue where the country is split (gun registry, Afghanistan, global warming) but who's opposed to law 'n order? But you can outsmart yourself. The opposition could easily agree to the bill in principle but then try to get amendments in Committee - which could pass because of the Opposition majority. But which could also result in some of the rancor we saw last spring at committee hearings. If the Tories just look unreasonable in point-blank refusing to entertain amendments and threatening an election it could backfire on them.

No question the US would hurt if all trade between us was stopped. But we would be ground into dust. And the US would sail through the Northwest Passage unimpeded.

...Canada will revert to the Middle Ages.

No surprise here. After being crowned by the Nobel Committee he is now an Ambassador for the Environment. If he tossed his hat into the Presidential ring he would be just another of the couple of dozen midgets running for the job. And whenever his movie was shown on TV the other candidates would demand equal time.

This basically says it all. The reason that the Libs are losing candidates and officials in Quebec is because of the leader. He has been leader for 10 months and the Liberals are stalled. They have not gained in popularity - either in Quebec or in ROC. The pereception is that Dion is too academic and cannot communicate properly. The only reason the Liberals still have their head above water is because of continuing suspicion of Harper by the public. The deck chairs are jumping ship but the captain is still on the bridge.

It's all a Tory plot. Harper wants to have the Libs defeat the crime bill because he wants to see Dion go across the country explaining how it is okay for a 65-yr old guy to have sex with a 14-yr old girl.

CTV Dion knows he has a very short period of time to get a platform ready and get some semblance of a party put together that can fight an election. As for the crime bill he could vote for it at second reading (agreement in principle) arguing that he will want to make changes in committee. And it could get bogged down there for months. Now, Harper could put a poison pill in the bill that might make it very hard for the Libs to vote for it. But law 'n order is a hard thing to oppose and the Cons know it.

When the going gets tough...the Libs fold. Sitting there like bumps on a log during the vote with howls of derision from the Bloc and NDP with the reminder that the throne speech asks for troops to remain in Afghanistan until 2011 and also trashes Kyoto. Are they going to abstain every time a vote by them could bring down the government?

And if the amendment is not adopted...?

There will be no election - right now, anyway. Dion has told the HofC that that Canadians don't want another election right now. "They want Parliament to do its job..." Source: CPAC. Live coverage of Dion's speech.

If I recall all three opposition parties claimed to support some form of crime legislation "in principle" but then nickled-and-dimed the CPC bills to death in committee. Given that the Libs are going to support the Throne Speech this will be the second opportunity for Mr Dion and his colleagues to stand up and be counted.

This makes it clear that the Libs are not going to force an election. There is no way they can vote for it. They would be a laughing stock - they would be acknowledging that Kyoto is dead meat. So it will be by abstaining or by being absent. Now of course all this might do is give the anti-Dion forces more opportunity to try and dump him. But I don't think that will happen. It would pull the party apart. More likely the Liberals will continue to stumble and fumble along. But unless they want to become completely irrelevant at some point they will have to stand up and be counted. Are they going to agree to Harper's crime package or any environmental legislation that they consider sub-standard?

I can guarantee you that if the environment ever becomes a political issue in the US election the spinmeisters will be twisting facts to "prove" the data are fallacious or any temperature increases are temporary. At the end of it the public will be so confused... Look at my quote from George Will above.

Canadians are not known for being an exciting group. Inventors of Pablum and world champions at curling, a sport that ranks with cricket for slowness. And all three leaders of the national parties are good substitutes for soporifics. But Steve, -- no Churchill at the podium, that's for sure -- must have depths in the eyes of some if 63% believe him to have good "leadership marks". But poor Steph - here during decision week, barely a third think of him as a leader.

The real problem is the environment. If the throne speech is fuzzy on global warming and the Libs let Harper off the hook then instead of Mr Green Dion becomes Mr Gray. A laughing stock, in effect.

Read my comment: There will no federal election. The Bloc and NDP will move amendments to the throne speech which the Liberals will oppose. And on the day of the vote to approve the speech the Libs will all be booked sick.