Ignatieff calls it!

[Wild Bill]

This just in:

http://news.sympatico.ctv.ca/abc/home/cont...election_090901

" 01/09/2009 1:29:14 PM

CTV.ca News Staff

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says he will no longer support Stephen Harper's minority government.

Sources have told CTV News that the Liberals will put forward a non-confidence motion to defeat the Tories and force an election this fall.

In a speech Tuesday to the Liberal caucus, which is on retreat in Sudbury, Ont. this week, Ignatieff said his party "can do better" at managing the economic crisis, protecting Canadians abroad and making the country competitive in the 21st century. "

Summer's over, I guess!

[Shady]

Summer's over, I guess!

And it seems so is the sanity of Michael Ignatieff and the Liberal party.

[Hydraboss]

This ought to be funny. Kinda like watching "Wipeout".

It'll be a pleasure watching the Convenient Canadian head back to the States in early December.

[Smallc]

pfft, there won't be an election. Jack will cave.

[noahbody]

Ignatieff said his party "can do better" at managing the economic crisis

So the country has been in crisis and Mr. Ignatieff has had better ideas that he chose not to share?

[Smallc]

That's not the job of the opposition.

[Mr.Canada]

pfft, there won't be an election. Jack will cave.

I think I'd have to agree that someone will cave in. Could be Jack, if Harper makes it worth it to do so or at least to make it appear it does. But on the other hand Jack seriously hates Harper as does the BQ leader so time will tell.

Voters don't want an election though and if Ignatieff triggers one he could be met with voter wrath whereas the Liberal supporters don't come out to vote at all.

[Smallc]

I have said it before and I haven't seen any change. The Liberals have nowhere to go but up.

[jdobbin]

And it seems so is the sanity of Michael Ignatieff and the Liberal party.

Harper is likely to call a snap election before the next fixed date anyway. He has done it before. Did you call him insane then or was he brilliant, simply brilliant!

The least the Liberal could do is bet him to the punch this time.

[Moonbox]

Great idea Iggy. Stand by meekly while Canadians are upset with the recession and by extension the government, test the waters with several unpopular proposals, wait months and months until the recession lets up and the economy starts to improve and only THEN realize that your golden opportunity is swiftly dissapearing. That's political acumen at its best people.

[jdobbin]

Voters don't want an election though and if Ignatieff triggers one he could be met with voter wrath whereas the Liberal supporters don't come out to vote at all.

Voters didn't want an election last time. Did yo make Harper face your wrath last time or were you so proud of him?

[Moonbox]

That's not the job of the opposition.

Yes. It is. It's the job of every elected representative to put forward ideas and suggestions to improve the well-being of Canada.

[jdobbin]

Great idea Iggy. Stand by meekly while Canadians are upset with the recession and by extension the government, test the waters with several unpopular proposals, wait months and months until the recession lets up and the economy starts to improve and only THEN realize that your golden opportunity is swiftly dissapearing. That's political acumen at its best people.

So you think that Harper will get a majority because the economy is back to normal? Or will there be people still concerned with where things go from here and hesitant even now to give him that backing.

[jdobbin]

So the country has been in crisis and Mr. Ignatieff has had better ideas that he chose not to share?

Harper had an entire election and only chose to share his platform on the last days.

[madmax]

Voters didn't want an election last time. Did yo make Harper face your wrath last time or were you so proud of him?

Enjoy your time in the limelight, its been a long time coming

[Moonbox]

Voters didn't want an election last time. Did yo make Harper face your wrath last time or were you so proud of him?

No, but there's a fine line as to how soon is 'too soon'. There's a HUGE difference between one and two year terms between elections and my thoughts are that Ignatieff will fare badly this fall.

Instead of sticking Harper where it hurt (on fiscal management) Ignatieff has instead come up with his own idiotic ideas for spending even more money. He hasn't made a good showing of the official opposition and he hasn't presented himself as a good alternative to fix all the problems he's nailed Harper with. The recession is disappearing. Ignatieff has worried voters with expensive proposals on EI etc and his credibility (which the opposition usually has an advantage with by default) is severely lacking with Canadians.

[myata]

I'm really concerned with Harper and I believe that handing him a majority would be a huge risk for all positive developments that happened in this country of late. However, I just can't fathom how Iggy's Liberals would be any better when on all major issues they want to mimic CPC.

So I guess it has to come to this, i.e. tough love. If in this system we can't get any meaningful choice other than Ci PC and Li PC, then the only way that situation could work for me, i.e. for my view of what is the best for this country, is by LPC (re)learning to define and stand for its own principles. And if it takes LPC being parked in the opposition for a while longer, and even a risk of majority for the dreadful Harper, maybe it has to be so, for the better future of us all?

[jdobbin]

No, but there's a fine line as to how soon is 'too soon'. There's a HUGE difference between one and two year terms between elections and my thoughts are that Ignatieff will fare badly this fall.

How soon was predicated on fixed elections.

I was told by many people here that it was impossible that an election would be called by Harper.

The Liberals can simply hold to the story that the Tories were going to call an election three or four month later anyway. We can hardly be told that is impossible. However, I am sure that for some it would be perfect timing.

Instead of sticking Harper where it hurt (on fiscal management) Ignatieff has instead come up with his own idiotic ideas for spending even more money. He hasn't made a good showing of the official opposition and he hasn't presented himself as a good alternative to fix all the problems he's nailed Harper with. The recession is disappearing. Ignatieff has worried voters with expensive proposals on EI etc and his credibility (which the opposition usually has an advantage with by default) is severely lacking with Canadians.

Guess we'll see in the election. You can vote the way you have in the past as you seem to think Harper is best suited to continue. Others are likely not to be so sure.

[jdobbin]

Enjoy your time in the limelight, its been a long time coming

You can vote NDP this election. They had it right all along, correct?

[jdobbin]

I'm really concerned with Harper and I believe that handing him a majority would be a huge risk for all positive developments that happened in this country of late. However, I just can't fathom how Iggy's Liberals would be any better when on all major issues they want to mimic CPC.

I suppose the settles it then: Don't vote Liberal or Tory.

[Smallc]

Yes. It is. It's the job of every elected representative to put forward ideas and suggestions to improve the well-being of Canada.

That's not the way that the responsible government system is designed.

[Dave_ON]

No, but there's a fine line as to how soon is 'too soon'. There's a HUGE difference between one and two year terms between elections and my thoughts are that Ignatieff will fare badly this fall.

Instead of sticking Harper where it hurt (on fiscal management) Ignatieff has instead come up with his own idiotic ideas for spending even more money. He hasn't made a good showing of the official opposition and he hasn't presented himself as a good alternative to fix all the problems he's nailed Harper with. The recession is disappearing. Ignatieff has worried voters with expensive proposals on EI etc and his credibility (which the opposition usually has an advantage with by default) is severely lacking with Canadians.

Too soon is relative to what political party you support. Honestly when was the last time there was ever any voter backlash because of an election? I can't think of one. Minority governments are unstable by nature, Canadians are aware of this fact. Of course most Canadians don't want an election, they don't want an election even if it's been 5 years and the government holds a majority.

People will vote regardless and they won't change their vote based on who called the election. The LPC is going to make gains this election and the CPC will suffer losses, or at least the polls suggest as much so far. In the end the only poll that matters is Election Day. I somehow doubt that Harper and the CPC will manage to pull off another campaign without any major gaffe's but then again he may surprise me.

Regardless of the outcome we're very likely in for yet another minority. Whether it's a CPC or an LPC minority remains to be seen.

[Moonbox]

That's not the way that the responsible government system is designed.

There's nothing in the DESIGN of the system that implies the opposition parties should quietly stand by while a presiding government self destructs and brings the country down with it.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

Let the fur begin to fly!

Thank God!

[Moonbox]

Too soon is relative to what political party you support.

The political party you support can change at any moment. When voters feel that a party is playing silly political games at the expense of their wallets and time, they may vote for someone else or note vote altogether. Voter turnout also becomes a problem when the election is too soon. We saw that last year. Unfortunately for the Liberals, voter turnout is generally stronger on the right than it is on the left.

Regardless of the outcome we're very likely in for yet another minority. Whether it's a CPC or an LPC minority remains to be seen.

No argument there