Ignatieff's Stance on Coalition is Still Uclear

Despite what the other media say,John Ivison points out that the statement that Ignatieff made this morning on a coalition is still not clear.  
 A Liberal press release that was sent this morning states that there would be no coalition if the Libs won  the most seats.  It did not say what they would do if  Conservatives won more seats and they came in second.

Mr. Ignatieff said in his press conference on the steps of Parliament Hill that he made the decision to speak out because he didn’t want “to spend 36 days with any ambiguity”.
Yet ambiguity remains. The release is very specific that the no-coalition commitment applies in the event the party that wins the most seats is called on to form the government. It is clear that, if the Liberals are first past the post and can’t gain the confidence of the House, then Mr. Harper would be called on to form the government.

This legitimizes the concept of a coalition, which no-one seriously disputes under the Constitution. But what the statement does not make clear is whether the commitment is unequivocal in the event of a Conservative minority. Could Mr. Harper win on election day and be defeated over his Throne Speech by the opposition, leading to a Liberal-NDP coalition, backed by the Bloc?

So do believe the Liberal leader?  I certainly do NOT!  Don't forget the last time the coalition reared it's ugly head, it was the Conservatives who won the most seats not the Liberals.  Oh by the way Ignatieff signed that agreement and it's still in affect.

The Race is On

Well it seems we're in our fourth election in seven years.  The coalition of the losers decided they wanted to take the current government down some trumped up charges in which the coalition on the committee had the majority.

So here we are.  The polls look pretty good at the on set for the Conservatives,not so good for the Libs.

We already have our first big gaffe even before the writ is dropped.  Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, he won't answer the darn question on whether or not he would enter a coalition with NDP and the Bloc if the Conservatives fail to get a majority.  See here for yourself.



PM Harper has a good record to run on. Amazingly with a minority he was able to get some good things accomplished for Canadians.  Here is just a small sample  of them,

(1) African Development Fund Replenished — Instituted in 1972, the Conservative government replenished the fund as promised at the G20 conference in Toronto in 2010 (Link)
(2) Age of Consent Legislation — Raised from 14 to 16 effective May 1, 2008 (Link)
(3) Agent Orange Compensation Package of $96 Million –$20,000 to all veterans and civilians who lived within 5 kilometers of CFB Gagetown in N.B.when Agent Orange was sprayed over a seven day period in 1966 and 1967 (Link)
(4) Air India Final Report of the Commission of Inquiry — PM Harper apologies to the friends and relatives of all those who died in that disaster (Link)
(5) Apology to Native People — By the Government of Canada on June 11, 2008 for residential school abuses (Link)
(6) Arctic Research Station Announced – The feasibility study started in 2007 was completed in August 2010 with the announcement that it will be built over the next five years in Cambridge Bay, Nanavut (Link)
(7) Auto Theft and Property Crime Bill — Legislation passed that would crack down on auto theft and trafficking in property that is obtained by crime (Link)
(8) Canada Employment Credit — Of $1000.00 (Link)
(9) Child Tax Credit — $2000 for every child under eighteen (Link to all the family tax credits)
(10) China Signs New Initiatives– PM Harper and President Hu Jintao signed a new initiative that built on December 09 Joint Statement — such as re-opening the Chinese market to Canadian beef products (Link)

You can find the rest of them at Sandy's who's done a masterful job at compiling all of them.  

Let's give PM Harper a Conservative Majority at the end of all this!

Ok the Latest Poll is Very Good But.......

The latest Ipsos Reid poll shows Conservatives 19 points ahead of the Liberals. 
CPC-43%
Libs-24%
NDP-16%
Even in battle ground Ontario Conservatives are 16 points ahead of the Libs, 46vs30 points respectively.

Here's where the but comes in.  This poll is fantastic and would give the Cons a majority if the election were held today, but today is not voting day. 

The campaign hasn't even started yet.  Anything can happen on the campaign trail. Conservatives should not take things for granted just because the opposition is weak and the polls look good.

 If we want to hold polls like this Ipsos steady or even improve it can be done. There should be NO stupid mistakes from the war room or the candidates etc. Don't be overly confident. Take one day at a time. It will be a tough long nasty campaign.  Be determined and work hard like we're behind even though we are ahead and  that majority can be won  Let's not count our chickens before they're hatched.

The Possibiltiy of A Coalition of the Losers

The outcome of the election will be either a Conservative Majority or a Coalition of the losers.  John Ivison points out his article the very real possibility of a coalition if the Conservatives don't achieve a majority vote.

It is majority government or bust for the Conservatives in the coming election. The more the leaders of the Liberal party, the NDP and the Bloc Québécois talk, the more it becomes apparent that they are prepared to form a coalition of losers, in the event the House of Commons returns in something approximating its current form.

Jack Layton has been fairly open. We know where he stands. A coalition would be the NDP's only chance with power.

The NDP leader explicitly endorsed a coalition with the Liberals and the Bloc Québécois in his scrum in the foyer of the House of Commons Wednesday. “I have said I will work to ensure the ideas we campaigned on have the best possible chance of being implemented in Parliament. I will reach out to other parties who are willing to work with us,” he said.

Gilles Dueceppe would will do what is best for Quebec.  If it means getting into bed with the Libs and Dippers, he will do it.  

Roy Green asks the question coalition, yes or no.   He is asking the Liberal leader to fess up.

Answer the question Mr. Ignatieff. In the event of a minority Conservative Party election result might Canadians be treated to a rebirth of the Liberal, NDP, BQ coalition?
An on the record “yes” or “no” would be preferred. “Maybe” would be acceptable.
Instead you chatter about voters having the choice to walk through a “blue door” or “red door.” By the way, did you, did any of your associates take note that not once, but twice the first option you offered in front of national microphones and cameras was the “blue door”? Still having the bus towed to Harper Diesel are we?

Can you imagine Jack Layton, Pat Martin, Thomas Mulcair, Libby Davies, Scotty Brison in cabinet?  Gilles Duceppe as defacto Prime Minister?   Heaven help us! That would be the end of Canada as we know it!  That's exactly what will happen if we don't elect a Conservative Majority folks!

Was Jack Layton Bullied To Reject the Budget?

Senator Mike Duffy in an interview on CFRA reveals that Jack Layton was originally going to support the budget until he got bullied into not to supporting it by his Quebec MP Thomas Mulcair.  You have to hear it..  Listen here. and then pass it on.