Jack Layton's Quebec Conundrum

Jack Layton during the election campaign made certain promises to Quebec. He had promised he would recognize  50 plus 1 majority  as winning conditions  for Quebec to separate  in the event of a referendum and he would repeal the Clarity Act. in which the NDP had once voted for. Now a large part of Jack's caucus is from Quebec that he'll have a time and half to manage and much will be expected.  Some don't know how they would vote in the case of a referendum.

Now Jack is dodging trying to reconcile his contradiction.

He wound up dodging and weaving when asked to explain how to reconcile the contradiction.
"The position of the Supreme Court (which later became the Clarity Act), was accepted by the two sides of this great debate," Layton said. "So there is no necessity to go further then this because we have an excellent context for this possible discussion on this possible question."
Pressed about whether the NDP still recognizes the 50per-cent level, the furthest Layton would go was to say: "It's there in our declaration.
"We'll follow the decision of the Supreme Court judges," he reiterated. "We think that's an appropriate framework. We don't need to be revisiting legislation.
"But our goal is not to see another referendum. Our goal is to create the winning conditions for Canada in Quebec."
The term "winning conditions," is the one Layton used during the election campaign to portray himself as a strong nationalist or defender of Quebec's interests as a way to crush the separatist Bloc Québécois.

Now both the Quebec Liberal party and the PQ have picked up on Jack's confusion. Where exactly does Jack stand?  I believe this will dog him for the next four years. Jack will have some juggling to do between his Quebec caucus and the rest of the caucus to keep all happy as to prevent a revolt possibly led by Thomas Mulcair .  

He should try to remember Brian Mulroney, Meech Lake and Lucien Bouchard.  It produced the Bloc and the Reform Party.  The PCs were reduced to two seats.

Related: Last night on Sunnews Network former Liberal leader Stephane Dion tried to explain to Charles Adler the Quebec issues.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update: From Norman Spector twitter-Mulcair says 50%+1 in referendum would do the trick http://tinyurl.com/3nu4s5p #cdnpoli #NDP #LPC #CPC 
Translation here 

If there were a referendum on Quebec sovereignty, the NDP would accept a majority of 50% + 1, as required by the declaration of Sherbrooke. That at least is what Thomas Mulcair, NDP Deputy Leader and MP for Outremont, in an interview with Pierre Maisonneuve.

 

 

NDP Pat Martin To Bring Civility To Parliament

Ok! Over the top always outraged about something or someone NDP MP Pat Martin is going to turn a new leaf and get this, lead a movement for more respect and civility in the House of Commons. 

 OTTAWA -- Manitoba NDP MP Pat Martin hopes to turn over a new leaf in the next Parliament and lead a movement for improved respect between MPs.
Martin admits he is known as a "loudmouth," but he said Tuesday he believes that gives calls by him to be more respectful of others more meaning.
"This is my new policy," Martin said, holding up a handful of party-coloured buttons he had made reading "Opto Civitas."
"I choose civility. That's the new me."

 Is this same Pat Martin who was so rude and disrespectful to Minister Oda just a couple of months ago  during the so called "contempt" hearings and the disgraceful treatment of Candace Hoeppner on CBC Power and Politics?  The treatment of both of those ladies were thoroughly despicable. 

Has Pat suddenly had an epiphany? Has he decided to grow up?  Let's hope so.  A leopard just can't change his spots but let's see if he really has changed.   It's like L.Ian MacDonald says:

But if the New Democrats are to be taken seriously, it's time for them to behave like grown-ups, and lighten up on the sanctimonious grandstanding of front-benchers like Tom Mulcair and Pat Martin. 

I agree there needs to be more civility between parliamentarians in the HOC.  Parliament had become a toxic cesspool  with all the vitriol and petty partisanship.  It might have been a result of the minority situation, I don't know but it become stomach churning.  

Will Pat actually follow through? It would be nice.  I will give him the benefit of the doubt, for now but on the other hand I'm not holding my breath.  I guess we'll just have wait to see what happens.

PM Harper vs. President Obama on Israel and the Middle East

First I trust everyone had a great Victoria Day long weekend.  Here in southern Alberta it was an  OK weekend if you want rain. Saturday was fairly nice even got some gardening done. Sunday and Monday the weather was kinda of unsettled.

Now to the main topic.  Israel has been friends and allies with both Canada and the United States. Last Thursday President Obama gave a  major speech stating that the peace process between Israelis and the Palestinians that Israel must return to the 1967 borders in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted Pres Obama saying it's "indefensible and challenges their existence."

President Obama's statement was frightening and is frankly dangerous not only for Israel but the world.

Obama is a danger. He is a Manchurian candidate — a radical, undermining America from within and endangering America’s allies, too.

Well, I'm glad our Prime Minister is "NOT" supporting Pres Obama's  dangerous Middle East  peace proposal.  PM Harper has been consistent in his support for Israel and I believe he's right, for Israel,the right to exist. and the right to defend itself. 

 Seeing that PM Harper is well liked and respected by his counterparts and now has a majority government there's good opportunity for Canada to take advantage and a have a greater influence in the world on  the Middle East and other important issues as well. 

PM Harper has always and will continue to consistently stand up for and protect Israelis interests, President Obama, I don't think so much.

Do You Really Believe These Two Guys?

Apparently both Bob Rae and Justin Trudeau say they don't want permanent leadership of the Liberal party. Yeah right!
Do you actually believe these guys?  I don't. They both have too big of egos and want to be PM.

Bob Rae has wanted to be Liberal leader and Prime Minister since 2006 when he sought the leadership after former leader and PM Paul Martin stepped down. He ended coming in third behind Michael Ignatieff and of course it was that race brought in Stephane Dion as the big kahuna of the party.

So.he only wants to be interm leader. Some Liberals don't believe it.  They believe he's setting things up to become the permanent leader.

OTTAWA — Liberals lined up to express concern Thursday that Bob Rae plans use his possible position as interim leader to mount a campaign for the permanent leadership of the party despite saying he has no plans to do so.

As for baby Justin Trudeau, supporters say he wants to devote more time for his family and has no interest in the permanent job. Okaaay!

Justin Trudeau is understood to have told supporters that he is putting his family first and will not seek the permanent leadership of the party. Mr. Trudeau grew up in a family where his father was often absent because of his political duties and he is said to be keen to avoid history repeating itself. Mr. Trudeau could not be reached for comment Thursday.

 There no doubt there are some Liberal supporters that think Justin is their next saviour and will bring them back to their rightful place. It's just based on  his name  and his pretty boy looks and nothing else really.  I don't think he has anything of substance and not really that politically savvy and if Liberals think he's their answer they should think again.

One thing is for sure, it'll be interesting to watch all the goings on within the Liberal party in the coming days, months and couple of years.

Wildrose Pushes for An Elected Senate

Danielle Smith,leader of the Wildrose party here in Alberta sent out letters to all the Premiers pushing them to hold Senate elections with their provincial elections.

“Provinces may never have a better opportunity than right now to show leadership on reforming the Senate,” Smith said. “We have a majority government led by a Prime Minister who will appoint elected Senators, we have more than half of the provincial and territorial jurisdictions going to the polls in the next seven months, and we will have 28 Senate vacancies to fill over the next eight years. We can’t let this opportunity pass by.”

                                                                 **********

“We have been pressing the current government very hard to reinstate Senate elections, but with all these other factors aligning, we’ve decided to broaden our pitch,” Smith said. “Having a provincially elected Senate is a major step towards greater autonomy for the provinces and a more democratic federal government.”

                                                              ***********
PC Premier Ed Stelmach was supposed to hold senate elections last fall with our municipal elections but he reneged.  I think because he was afraid Wildrose candidates would be elected.
                                                                **********

The current PC government cancelled Senate elections that would have been held in conjunction with last October’s municipal vote.

Danielle has challenged the Premiers. PM Harper has asked the Premiers to hold elections. Sask Premier Brad Wall has been complaining so has NS Premier Darrell Dexter. Now the PM has put ball is back in the their court. Will they hold elections or will it be status quo? It's up to them. Maybe Danielle Smith can help them with her letter.

But the director of communications in the Prime Minister’s Office said the two premiers do not have to wait for the federal legislation to enable Senate elections, and can go ahead in their provinces if they wish.

“Both of these provinces have yet to move on setting elections and consulting the population for the appointment of senators,” Mr. Soudas said. “We encourage them to do that so that if there are any vacancies from Nova Scotia or from Saskatchewan, obviously .... we would appoint those chosen by the population.”