"Liberals call Tory reforms anti-immigrant, but might let them pass"
I can hear the leadership numbers ticking up as we speak.
Anyways, instead of saying Canadians don't want an election, I think the Liberals may have found another talking point. Helena Guergis, speaking on her marriage to fellow Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer:
"I can't plan a wedding. Why don't you call Stephane Dion and ask when we are going to have an election so I can set a wedding date."Just an idea, but maybe in tomorrow's scrum, when he is asked about an election, Dion could say he is concerned that the two MP's really don't know each other well enough, better to take things slow and establish a solid base before diving in.
Dion should proceed with a Chretienite quote:
ReplyDelete"I suggest that Ms. Guergis and Mr. Jaffer should get married when it is the right time for them to get married."
Fwiw, I think the immigration "reforms" were specifically put in there to poison the legislation... I don't think the CPC could have imagined that the Liberals could let that pass.
ReplyDeleteIt just gets worse all the time.
At least "strategic patience" is slightly more honest than polls tell us Canadians don't want an election right now (and nor do we - yikes - what polls are they talking about?)
ReplyDeleteGreat comment, Jan!!
ReplyDeleteDion could say he is concerned that the two MP's really don't know each other well enough, better to take things slow and establish a solid base before diving in.
Excellent advice. Dion will make a helluva Prime Minister.
Hey robert. I think the Cons had this immigration reform idea for awhile, knew it was controversial, saw an opportunity. Once the Libs let the budget pass, I think they made a calculation that they could slip it in, get it through, because the Libs were to weak to oppose it. I'm not sure it's a poison pill to force an election, as much as it's an attempt to get it through, while your opponent isn't in the mood.
ReplyDeleteIf Canadian public opinion was tilting strongly in favor of the Liberals, then you could suggest that the general mood was ripe for an election.
ReplyDeleteMost polls don't show much in the way of really significant change, or at least not enough for the Liberals to go to the polls on.
Steve follows polling a bit more closely, so he may have a different take though...
Steve, that sounds like a more likely scenario (on the immigration "reforms").
ReplyDeleteBut I still think the CPC are aching for an election... and they need some other party to trigger it.
Maybe they see it as a win-win. Force an election, or get some contentious legislation through.
ReplyDeleteIn the ethnic communities I've been talking to (south asian and east asian) the awareness of the immigration issue is just starting to take off in a big way.
ReplyDeleteIt's the absolute number one concern of members of those communities, and I don't even have to say a thing about it and I'll see people in those communities vehemently persuade their fellow community members that this legislation is just bad news.
They're right, this legislation is bad news.
Dion has to draw a line in the sand on this one... I think awareness of this issue has not even come close to reaching critical mass... lotsa legs left to make it an election issue.
Hey, Steve how 'bout a post about Zacaradelli harpooning Martin with an election during the '06 election because of the way he treated Chretien?
ReplyDeleteLiberals have their "Florida".
ReplyDeleteThe election of the Tories was not legitimate!
anon
ReplyDeleteWell it least it detracts from all the nonsense, about what a great campaigner Harper is, the Con brilliance. Given the circumstances, Harper's fragile minority victory is about as impressive as Klein's ability to balance the books in Alberta.
I think this is a sign that Harper is giving up on Jason Kenney's overtures towards ethnic communities in favour of picking up Bloc seats. The Bloc can't promise Herouxville-ites control over immigration.
ReplyDelete