Christmas Election?

[politika]

I have been watching the news lately and it seems an election is going to be called around the holidays if the PM does not agree to the NDP plan to force an election in january. Right now how I see it does not matter to me if the plug is pulled on Martin's government on christmas. Now that the PC and the BQ have the support of the NDP. I do not see what the problem is the Librals are corrupt Gomery picked out key members of the Sponsership program. THe reason Martin wasn't pointed out is because gomery is trying to protect him Paul Martin is the Prime minister of our coutnry after all. The way I see it is call an election in christmas and have a happy new years with a new government in power (hopefully the conservatives) but just as long as the Librals are not in power!

-Curt

[shoop]

Great first post!

Couldn't agree more...

[tml12]

Great first post!

Couldn't agree more...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If Martin allows his government to fall, he will be making the biggest mistake of his political career.

While the result will probably be another minority, even a Liberal one, Martin will likely be finished.

Martin's best chance of winning his majority dream? Call the election 30 days after the second Gomery Report. This way, Goodale can present a real budget and the Liberals will have a better chance.

However, since I may vote Conservative I may just want the government to fall sooner...

[Riverwind]

If Martin allows his government to fall, he will be making the biggest mistake of his political career.

Martin really does have a choice. Layton's compromise is not really a compromise because Gomery II would be released 2 weeks before the vote. Such timing could be a disaster for the Liberals so Martin is better off risking a Christmas election.

I do not see what the problem is the Librals are corrupt Gomery picked out key members of the Sponsership program. THe reason Martin wasn't pointed out is because gomery is trying to protect him Paul Martin is the Prime minister of our coutnry after all

This logic is crap: there has never been any evidence that Martin himself was involved, Gomery only confirmed what any reasonable person without a political agenda would conclude if they looked at the evidence available.

[shoop]

I don't know how much say Martin will have in the matter. It appears the only way Martin gets an election that is called after Xmas is to prorogue the house. That would be a dumb, dumb move. People would be outraged at that.

People would prefer not to go to the polls over Xmas, but a week of between Xmas and New Years will make everyone forget about it.

I still doubt Martin has any realistic shot at a majority.

Poor poor Martin. Avenges his father in a textbook pyrrhic victory.

If Martin allows his government to fall, he will be making the biggest mistake of his political career.

While the result will probably be another minority, even a Liberal one, Martin will likely be finished.

Martin's best chance of winning his majority dream?  Call the election 30 days after the second Gomery Report.  This way, Goodale can present a real budget and the Liberals will have a better chance.

However, since I may vote Conservative I may just want the government to fall sooner...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[tml12]

I don't know how much say Martin will have in the matter. It appears the only way Martin gets an election that is called after Xmas is to prorogue the house. That would be a dumb, dumb move. People would be outraged at that.

People would prefer not to go to the polls over Xmas, but a week of between Xmas and New Years will make everyone forget about it.

I still doubt Martin has any realistic shot at a majority.

Poor poor Martin. Avenges his father in a textbook pyrrhic victory. 

If Martin allows his government to fall, he will be making the biggest mistake of his political career.

While the result will probably be another minority, even a Liberal one, Martin will likely be finished.

Martin's best chance of winning his majority dream?  Call the election 30 days after the second Gomery Report.  This way, Goodale can present a real budget and the Liberals will have a better chance.

However, since I may vote Conservative I may just want the government to fall sooner...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think, though still a big IF, that Harper may actually get a shot at governing if Martin continues to dither around in this bubble of senselessness. I mean, the guy is like "nothing is happening in the government right now...I am governing!" Will he even knows if Parliament falls?

At this point, really only time...and with the Martin Liberals, the economy...will tell.

[politika]

"This logic is crap: there has never been any evidence that Martin himself was involved, Gomery only confirmed what any reasonable person without a political agenda would conclude if they looked at the evidence available."-Sparhawk

You make an excellent point he might have not been involved in any of this. But I am still reasoning with the fact the he was the Financial Advisor at the time and he controlled funds in and out of Parliment. How do you suppose he didn't do Financial plans for sponsership?

Agree or dissagree with me but if Martin who controled the funds at the time and if he was controling Sponsership. He is just as guilty as Cretien, Galliano and the others who were found guilty of neglegence.

-Curt

[Riverwind]

Agree or dissagree with me but if Martin who controled the funds at the time and if he was controling Sponsership.  He is just as guilty as Cretien, Galliano and the others who were found guilty of neglegence.

The Minister of Finance is in charge of a 200 billion/year budget. He is responsible for allocating funds to the departments, however, once they are allocated it is up to the minister in charge of the department to ensure they are spent properly (i.e. Gagliano). It is extremely unlikely that a Minister of Finance would have paid much attention to a 60 million/year project that his boss took personal control of because the amount of money is trivial compared to the over all budget of the government. To put things in perspective: the sponsership is equal to about $12/year for someone who makes $40,000 a year.

[fellowtraveller]

Agree or dissagree with me but if Martin who controled the funds at the time and if he was controling Sponsership.  He is just as guilty as Cretien, Galliano and the others who were found guilty of neglegence.

The Minister of Finance is in charge of a 200 billion/year budget. He is responsible for allocating funds to the departments, however, once they are allocated it is up to the minister in charge of the department to ensure they are spent properly (i.e. Gagliano). It is extremely unlikely that a Minister of Finance would have paid much attention to a 60 million/year project that his boss took personal control of because the amount of money is trivial compared to the over all budget of the government. To put things in perspective: the sponsership is equal to about $12/year for someone who makes $40,000 a year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Of course, that ignores the reality that the vast amount of those funds are nuts and bolts program allocations, dished out like meat and potatoes to departments for social programs, grants in lieu, transfer payments, salaries, government operations, military expense and the like. Nobody ppays much attention to the cost of the electricity bill for Parliament Hill, but $60 million loose and on the table for Quebec MPs, including Martin?

The sponsorship program is none of those things. It's a political slush fund, a pretty big one too, and it is disengenuous at best to suggest that Martin would not know of it. On the contrary, in his position as Finance Minister and senior man in Quebec - there is simply and logically no way, repeat no way, that he could not have known of the cash money moving into his Party right in front of him. No way, especially given the eternally low ebb of Quebec Liberal Party finances that big chunks of incoming cash go unnoticed..

[Riverwind]

No way, especially given the eternally low ebb of Quebec Liberal Party finances that big chunks of incoming cash go unnoticed.

Big chucks of money that came from corporate donors. It is likely that Martin knew that ad firms getting contracts from the sponsorship program were making perfectly legal donations to the Liberal party, however, if you want to say that he had inside knowledge of the kick back scheme then you need more than baseless speculation. Perhaps you should take your own advice regarding 'snide and utterly baseless comments'.