Why Stephen Harper will call for an election

[Topaz]

The view that Harper will call an election is not my view, but, the view of the Gerry Nicholls who wrote this piece. He does give reasons behind his views though. I have read over and read again about Harper's hatred for the Liberals, as he was once a liberal himself, when he was younger. If Harper does have an abnormal obsession for the Liberal party then I think he's shouldn't be a leader of any country. If his plans are to get rid of the Liberal party and only have the NDP, then this will give him the power he seeks and make himself king. Frankly, I think he would seek out a shrink and talk about his problems with the Liberal party and his appetite for power. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/why-stephen-harper-will-trigger-a-spring-election/article1867837/

[pinko]

The view that Harper will call an election is not my view, but, the view of the Gerry Nicholls who wrote this piece. He does give reasons behind his views though. I have read over and read again about Harper's hatred for the Liberals, as he was once a liberal himself, when he was younger. If Harper does have an abnormal obsession for the Liberal party then I think he's shouldn't be a leader of any country. If his plans are to get rid of the Liberal party and only have the NDP, then this will give him the power he seeks and make himself king. Frankly, I think he would seek out a shrink and talk about his problems with the Liberal party and his appetite for power. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/why-stephen-harper-will-trigger-a-spring-election/article1867837/

From what I have read Harper's affilation to the liberals in his earlier life was very tenuous. You do realize that Harper and Nicholls were both involved with the National Citizens Coalition. There is nothing at all liberal about Harper, a man with an obsession for secrecy and control and a disdain for parliamentary democracy.

Edited January 13, 2011 by pinko

[Sir Bandelot]

If Harper does have an abnormal obsession for the Liberal party then I think he's shouldn't be a leader of any country. If his plans are to get rid of the Liberal party and only have the NDP, then this will give him the power he seeks and make himself king. Frankly, I think he would seek out a shrink and talk about his problems with the Liberal party and his appetite for power.

I doubt that Harper is crazy obsessed or hell-bent on eliminating the Liberal party. He seems to be just a typical politician doing his thing for his party. But it seems to me he doesn't need to do a lot of work to make the Liberals look bad to the Canadian public. They have done the most damage they can, to their own party. And it's to the detriment of this country. If anything ever needed "re-branding" this is it. But the entrenched party executive are too greedy for personal power to do the right thing.

[Moonbox]

Considering we have an election coming up in Ontario already, and considering Harper's desire to court the Ontario and GTA vote, I think he'll let the opposition bring down his government and let them take the blame. I can't see him calling a snap election in 2011, and after 2011 we'll be at 2012 anyways.

[pinko]

Considering we have an election coming up in Ontario already, and considering Harper's desire to court the Ontario and GTA vote, I think he'll let the opposition bring down his government and let them take the blame. I can't see him calling a snap election in 2011, and after 2011 we'll be at 2012 anyways.

There will also be provincial elections in Manitoba and Quebec in the fall as well as B.C. I believe.

[pfezziwig]

re "If his plans are to get rid of the Liberal party"

Come on, these conspirary theories about the Conservatives are wearing thin, find some new material to discredit them. Speculating about elections is great fun for slow news days or lazy journalist. in a minority government everyone is prepared to go to the polls at any time.

[G.P. Lehmann]

Harper will do anything it takes to destroy the Liberals! Even if that means being a viable alternative!

[PIK]

Lets just egt rid of the 2 bucks per vote and the libs are finished. And as harper says if a PM is not in control he does not last long and he is right, both chretien and clark have proved he is right.

[scribblet]

What a load of rubbish, unsubstantiated supposition. LOL

I agree we need to do away with welfare for political parties.

[Topaz]

Lets just egt rid of the 2 bucks per vote and the libs are finished. And as harper says if a PM is not in control he does not last long and he is right, both chretien and clark have proved he is right.

It's interesting that you mentioned the $2 vote. The Tories can do without it,but the other parties need it or they may disappear and exactly what Harper wants. Since the Tories don't really need this money, lets save the 10 Million they get and put towards the debt.

[jbg]

The view that Harper will call an election is not my view, but, the view of the Gerry Nicholls who wrote this piece. He does give reasons behind his views though. I have read over and read again about Harper's hatred for the Liberals, as he was once a liberal himself, when he was younger. If Harper does have an abnormal obsession for the Liberal party then I think he's shouldn't be a leader of any country. If his plans are to get rid of the Liberal party and only have the NDP, then this will give him the power he seeks and make himself king. Frankly, I think he would seek out a shrink and talk about his problems with the Liberal party and his appetite for power. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/why-stephen-harper-will-trigger-a-spring-election/article1867837/

Harper will do anything it takes to destroy the Liberals! Even if that means being a viable alternative!

Quite prescient, and quite well executed, at least viewing from Stateside.

[PIK]

From what I have read Harper's affilation to the liberals in his earlier life was very tenuous. You do realize that Harper and Nicholls were both involved with the National Citizens Coalition. There is nothing at all liberal about Harper, a man with an obsession for secrecy and control and a disdain for parliamentary democracy.

So chretien was not a liberal. lol

[PIK]

re "If his plans are to get rid of the Liberal party"

Come on, these conspirary theories about the Conservatives are wearing thin, find some new material to discredit them. Speculating about elections is great fun for slow news days or lazy journalist. in a minority government everyone is prepared to go to the polls at any time.

Especially when it was the liberal back room boys that forced this election.

[Tilter]

The view that Harper will call an election is not my view, but, the view of the Gerry Nicholls who wrote this piece. He does give reasons behind his views though. I have read over and read again about Harper's hatred for the Liberals, as he was once a liberal himself, when he was younger. If Harper does have an abnormal obsession for the Liberal party then I think he's shouldn't be a leader of any country. If his plans are to get rid of the Liberal party and only have the NDP, then this will give him the power he seeks and make himself king. Frankly, I think he would seek out a shrink and talk about his problems with the Liberal party and his appetite for power. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/why-stephen-harper-will-trigger-a-spring-election/article1867837/

Didn't call for an election--- and boy, are the liberals happy they did it. :lol:

[Evening Star]

The article said "trigger an election", not "call an election". I think Harper deliberately provoked an election by putting out a budget the Opposition wouldn't accept and refusing to compromise. He also seemed to be deliberately spiting Parliament and provoking Speaker's rulings. The early attack ads seemed to show that Harper was anticipating an election.

Edited May 16, 2011 by Evening Star

[noahbody]

The article said "trigger an election", not "call an election". I think Harper deliberately provoked an election by putting out a budget the Opposition wouldn't accept and refusing to compromise.

The opposition didn't bring the government down on the budget.

[Evening Star]

The opposition didn't bring the government down on the budget.

It was clear that they would have even without the contempt charges. Every opposition party had openly said this.

[noahbody]

It was clear that they would have even without the contempt charges. Every opposition party had openly said this.

It was pretty clear that they didn't want the government to fall on the budget vote. That's why they brought them down just days before the scheduled vote. If they felt it was in their best interest as a party, the opposition party(s) would've voted in favour of the budget, but still criticized it. That's just politics.

[Saipan]

The view that Harper will call an election is not my view, but, the view of the Gerry Nicholls who wrote this piece.

Just the opposite. Harper said we don't need any election. But liberals insisted we need CPC majority - so we have one. So now Gerry Nicholls has to suck it up

I have read over and read again about Harper's hatred for the Liberals

And I see over and over CBC/Liberal hatred for Harper. But it won't help them any. Like the new kittens people are finally opening their eyes.

Edited May 16, 2011 by Saipan

[fellowtraveller]

I think Harper deliberately provoked an election by putting out a budget the Opposition wouldn't accept and refusing to compromise.

what an odd attitude. The budget was bland and little there to be challeneged. The Opposition knew that Canadians knew that Canada had weathered the recession storm better than most of the world, and Harper was more or less untouchable on the economy. They had to invent another excuse, and did. Bad choice.

[jbg]

They had to invent another excuse, and did. Bad choice.

I'm sure the Count is enjoying his descent from royalty.

[Evening Star]

what an odd attitude. The budget was bland and little there to be challeneged.

Hm, perhaps you're right, especially considering that the Liberals had voted in favour of the corporate tax cuts anyway.

[Bryan]

They had to invent another excuse, and did. Bad choice.

I wonder if Liberals really believed the contempt motion would actually have traction with voters? Most people we met at the doors thought it was just a cheap stunt.

[Saipan]

It was clear that they would have even without the contempt charges.

What contempt??

[Topaz]

That's where the liberals didn't count on. The new breed of voters, grew up with less moral values than the boomers did and they don't care about corruption in government. How else can one look at this?