Friday, July 24, 2009

Smoke But No Fire

Pierre the poodle is criticizing the Liberals for going on the "attack", while going on the attack:
Poilievre said Tories were "a little bit surprised" that Ignatieff chose to kick off the negotiations by going "on the attack."

But Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, a member of the bipartisan working group struck last month to negotiate an agreement with the Liberals on EI reforms, says the Harper government will "never" accept Ignatieff's proposal.

"The bottom line is we're not going to be supporting the notion that someone could collect EI for almost a year after working only 360 hours or nine weeks," Poilievre said in an interview Friday.

"All the costing shows that a nine-week work year would cost billions and the only way to fund it is through higher taxes, so we can't support that proposal."

Pierre's predictable bluster is just that, because the Conservatives know darn well that the Liberals won't insist on the 360 hour pre-requisite. Ignatieff has already intimated that the Liberals will move, which comes on the heels of this plain as day declaration from Fairbrother earlier this week:
While Ignatieff has said he's open to other suggestions, Fairbrother said the 360-hour standard remains "clearly our starting point" in the negotiations.

A starting point in negotiations, could it be any easier to comprehend? Last time I checked, and Pierre knows this well, a starting point does not a final resolution make, in fact it suggests COMPROMISE. For the poodle to get his curls in a lather, when he knows it's a disingenious argument, says that the government is more interested in optics than seriousness. What Pierre is doing, is making this 360 hour requirement an issue, so that when the final agreement doesn't include this number, the Conservatives can declare some kind of victory. All smoke, no fire.

6 comments:

Cari said...

How did that moron from Alberta, ever get in , in a riding that had been RED...those voters must have been really brainwashed!

Steve V said...

Apparently he does more community events than any other MP in the country, he's literally everywhere. What an embarrassment. The latest polls show us ahead in Ottawa, I'd sleep in a van to help whomever take that clown out. He represents everything that is wrong with politics today, it's almost perfect. The Uberass.

Trevor said...

Just curious. Let's say that the Cons compromise and agree to a set standard at a level higher than 360 hours. Both parties would then be able to say they 'made parliament work' and they could both save face.

Say the Cons agree to a national standard at say 540 or 600 hours or something like that. It will probably be a non issue in Ontario and Quebec since it will only mean a small change.

What would that do to Lib support in Atlantic Canada?

Who will Danny Williams blame, the party who wanted to leave it alone or the party who wanted a set rate across the country?

Steve V said...

" Both parties would then be able to say they 'made parliament work' and they could both save face."

I honestly believe Harper's entire impetus is merely a move to neutralize the issue. With unemployment on the rise, the issue is never a winner for him, it's something we can pound. If Harper comes to some watered down agreement, then the air is out of the balloon, the debate moves to other things. I hate to say it, but I would consider that a net victory, under the circumstances.

This won't just be about the hour component, Harper will offer other reforms that he can say he supported all along. If Harper gets this off the front burner, mission accomplished.

A reader said...

Apparently he does more community events than any other MP in the country, he's literally everywhere. What an embarrassment. The latest polls show us ahead in Ottawa, I'd sleep in a van to help whomever take that clown out. He represents everything that is wrong with politics today, it's almost perfect. The Uberass.

Although we agree on very little else, Steve, and I would usually rather eat nails than vote Liberal, you might be surprised to hear that if I lived in Barrhaven, I would consider putting that policy on hold for a single election just to get rid of this moron. Well, so long as I didn't have to vote for an Iraqi-war-monger like the former defence minister Poilievre beat. Ok, I guess I'm only prepared to go just so far ...

Anonymous said...

Wasn't the Lib proposal a "temporary" measure during the hard times of the recession, whereas the NDP wanted it permanent?