A Coaltion Between the Liberals and Conservatives?

At least that's what the Star's Thomas Walkom is musing about.

 In Ottawa, all the talk is of a potential Liberal-NDP deal to form a united left. But surely the only coalition that makes sense is one that joins the Liberals and Conservatives.
This is not as far-fetched as it sounds. Rhetoric aside, the Liberals under Michael Ignatieff are far closer to the Conservatives than they are to Jack Layton’s New Democrats.
The governing and official opposition parties may quibble over details. But in broad terms, they are on the same page.

Umm........... I don't think so.  Maybe some blue Liberals could join in with the Conservatives but as a whole, I don't think it would  work. Liberals used to support corporate tax cuts, they don't no more. They support the NDP stance which is stop the tax cuts and maybe even to raise them.
Maurizio Bevilacqua Liberal Immigartion critic had been working with Immigration and Citizenship Minister Jason Kenny for months on reforming the refugee system. They had made some progress until is was kiboshed by the others in the  party.  Jason had to find others to work with.  

Also, the Libs have been leaning left in recent years with the infilitration of the NDP, take Bob Rae and Ujjal Dosanjh for example both former NDP premiers who didn't do much good for their provinces.
National Day Care, gun registry program, Kyoto, for instance are not exactly right wing policies. Those policies are more in line with the NDP not the CPC.
In fact the Libs are desperately trying to save the long gun registry right now that Conservative MP Candace Hoeppner is trying to scrap through her private members bill through some kind of procedural motion.

So a coalition with Libs and CPC, NO!  Mr. Walkom has it  wrong.   Besides, the coup attempt in Dec. 2008 with the Dippers and the Bloc to overthrow the newly elected Conservative government has tainted the Libs for any collaboration with the Conservatives in a coalition or merger probably forever.  

A Story the MSM is Not Reporting

Amid "Fake Lake Gate," Guergis/Jaffer, WK vs Alf Apps Liberal NDP merger talks is this little tid bit I just ran across in my search for a topic to post about.
Allegation CBC's Richard Stursberg aware of 'Mediascam'
Seems like there are allegations of of VP Exec,Richard Stursberg has known of systemic corruption at the CRTC.

Allegation CBC's Richard Stursberg aware of 'Mediascam'

TORONTO, June 10 /CNW/ - A former Canadian broadcasting insider has claimed that CBC executive vice-president Richard Stursberg is aware of a long-term case of systemic corruption at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
The allegation by Keith Mahar, formerly employed in a managerial position by CHUM limited, is posted on his blog www.mentalympian.wordpress.com.
Several documents related to this same CRTC matter were provided to Prime Minister Stephen Harper by FedEx on 3 June 2010, including correspondence from Mahar's legal counsel, Paul Armarego.

More here.

Prime Minister Harper notified of billion-dollar CRTC scandal

TORONTO, June 3 /CNW/ - Less than 72 hours after the release of Justice Jeffrey Oliphant's report revealing "inappropriate" business dealings by former prime minister Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been notified of an alleged long-term case of government corruption at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, one which reportedly started during Mulroney's final month in office by commissioners that he had appointed to the CRTC.
The allegations have been made by Keith Mahar, a precedent-setting public interest litigant (Mahar v Rogers Cablesytems Ltd.) who was formerly employed by CHUM Limited for his specialist knowledge of the cable television industry and its regulation by the CRTC
Mahar's lawyer, Paul Armarego, notified Prime Minister Stephen Harper of the affair earlier today and provided him with copies of a number of related documents by FedEx courier. It is alleged that the case of corruption has cost Canadians a total of more than $1.2 billion through an illicit accounting scheme for cable television rates.
A copy of Armarego's submission to Prime Minister Harper has been provided to John A. Honderich, Chair of the Board for Torstar Corporation, owner of the Toronto Star.
Prime Minister Harper has been informed that Mahar plans to address this case on his blog: www.mentalympian.wordpress.com.

Why is the MSM not reporting this story? Nevermind "Steve's billiondollar boondoggle", this could be a real billion dollar scandal! Should this not be what our parliamentary committee should be investigating instead of Guergis/Jaffer or Afghan Detainees?

Let's Hope This Becomes a Reality

 Can't wait for this, I pray it comes to pass.
 Quebecor eyes Fox News-style TV for Canada 

 The former chief spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper is spearheading a bid by Quebecor Inc. to set up a Fox News-style TV station in Canada with an unabashedly right-of-centre perspective.

Quebecor has filed an application with the CRTC, Canada's broadcast regulator, to operate an English-language news channel. The application has not yet been made public but a source says an announcement on the venture is “imminent.”

One thing is for sure, we need something like this. 

Another Unhappy Liberal

Liberal blogger, Jeff Jedras expresses how unhappy he is.

Sure, we’ll tank the next election. But then, new leader! Valhalla! Small price to pay!
I’ve had it. I’ve had enough. I’ve had it with the petty games and the back-stabbing and the power-plays. We’ve been running on this same hamster wheel of bull since the 1980s, so you think we’d get a freaking clue at some point. But I’m sure they’re convinced no, I thought it was wrong when Chretien’s people did it to Turner, or Martin’s people to Chretien, or everyone’s people to Stephane Dion, but me, ME, no I’m on the side of the angels! I’m the righteous one!
No. You’re not. You’re really not.
We have a leader. His name is Michael Ignatieff. And unlike some people, I stay loyal to our leader, whether he was my guy or not. And let’s face facts. Had we finished a proper leadership race Ignatieff would have won it handily. Yes, he hasn’t performed well. Frankly, he has disappointed me too. He has made mistakes. But he’s showing signs of learning, of making the right decisions on where we need to go, and how we need to get there. But make no mistake: it’s going to be a long road. And no leader can get us there alone.
The only way we’re going to get there isn’t through the Hail-Mary quick fix of a merger, or those that hope to exploit such talk because they think they, somehow, can do better, or just think it’s their turn. We’ve been looking for easy answers for years now. THERE ARE NONE. If someone says there are, they’re lying to you.
What it’s going to take is long, hard work. What it’s going to take is everyone on board, on the team, rowing in the same direction. And if you don’t have the patience to do the hard work, or if you think your personal ambition is more important than the team, then I don’t have time for you, because you are part of the problem.
Lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way.

Yikes!  Jeff is really an unhappy Liberal camper! Wow, if they're more Liberals out there that feel the same way, that party IS in trouble!

Liberal NDP Merger Talks

There are all kinds of musings out there about a merger between the Liberals and the NDP. CBC is reporting that talks are going on to form a new party. On the other hand there is a least one Liberal who doesn't like the idea. Mark Marissen thinks that the Libs should not be talking about a merger or coalition but instead concentrate on winning.

Third, coalition talk is loser talk. Liberals should focus on winning, not losing. You need to have faith in yourself if you want to succeed. It may seem crazy with current polls, but Liberals have had tough times before, and rose again to offer strong, effective government for Canadians.

"Coalition talk is loser talk " sounds a lot like what PM Harper was saying last week when he was in London to meet with the new British PM, David Cameron.

I wonder how many more Liberal supporters hate the idea of getting together with the NDP to form a coalition or a new party. I bet it would be more than we suspect.
How many blue Liberals would cross the floor to join the Conservatives? How would the grass root Dipper supporters feel? Who would lead such a group, Bob Rae, Jack Layton? So many questions.
Steve Janke muses about possible "Armageddon scenario" for the Liberal party and all the chaos that could occur in this so called merger.

With all the merger talk of the two parties, many compare it to the merger of PC's and the Alliance in 2003 but there is a difference. That merger was actually a family reunion with similar ideology. The right had split and formed two the parties. On the other hand the Libs and the Dippers are of really two different ideologies.

The Liberals were more of a party of the center but lost it to the Conservatives by drift more to the left in recent years. The Dippers are socialists which will probably not appeal to many Liberals. Would it work?, Who knows.

At least it will be interesting to watch what happens.


Update: Liberals and NDP deny coalition talks So is this just a rumor or are they not telling us the truth? Like that's hasn't happened before! Guess we'll have to stay tuned.