Actually, SL, I’m calling BS on that. The Throne Speech was PASSED on Friday, by the House. The same House that supposedly has no confidence in the PM’s govt.

They have not provided we, the unwashed, with any alternatives to what the CPC have proposed and have agreed to pass the economic update (sans the campaign funding and one or two other things that pissed them off) so that no one can say they voted against seniors (who are getting a financial fix to their RRSP/RRIF issues in this crappy market).

So just WHO is doing the grandstanding here? Or, more clearly, who is grandstanding MORE?

Makes sense if the Oppos want a bailout, and the gov’t is considering giving one dependent upon what happens in Washington, waiting to see what that looks like is not a bad idea.

OK well if that ain’t political suicide I don’t know what is. Wouldn’t that in of itself be an indicator that the Conservatives really don’t have a plan? No plan everyone below deck, batten down and seal the hatches we’ll resurface when the winds change. Is that it?

I wanna say no way it won’t happen but then since when did Harper care about (all) the people or Canada? Golly gosh it only gets more interesting….and can I add just a little bit scary.

But it’s pale beside the opposition who days ago were exploding over the partisan myopia of Harper risking the stability of the country and a 300 mill election by… gee, cutting the 30 mill of public money going to the parties.

Now they’re going to leap headfirst into either a 300 mill election or a coalition government equal part Liberal to NDP and Bloc Quebecois because they think they smell a chance to take Harper out.

Harper stepped off of his supposedly destabalizing partisan move – which I would say had a lot to do in the first place with the conservative instinct to make sacrifices of your own first and that the taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook in any case. Who do you think looks better to the people when they wake up to NDP and the Bloc in their government because Harper tried to end the taxpayer funding of all the parties?

Which is why I like this idea. Especially the Liberals, NDP, and Bloc sitting in government together. I like it as a partisan that is… as a Canadian, not really.

There’s more than a couple dozen members of the current Liberal Party that have either been in cabinet or chaired committees in previous Liberal governments.

Who? I was under the impression that most had either retired or been forcefully retired. The only ones that come to mind (without research) are maybe Brison, McCallum, Dion & Goodale. Who else is left? I guess Rae would also count. But that’s only five, and not a finance minister in the bunch I don’t think…

Well, for starters, Canada isn’t in as much trouble as the US (yet, anyways). Our banking system is in better shape, for example, our EI system is more generous than theirs and I bet our overall welfare system is, too. And don’t forget that you & I aren’t staying awake at night wondering what happens if we get seriously ill and can’t pay for it (because we don’t have to).

So what, specifically, do you want to see in a stimulus package?

As for the campaign financing issue, I’d prefer we scrap it and either go back to the checkbox on your tax return saying “yes, send $1 of my taxes to X party” and/or increasing the tax credit on donations (also to charities), so we are on different pages regarding that issue (what a surprise!).

SL “are we there yet” – not quite.

– are we there yet

I’m ok with the 1 week delay too, but for a different reason – it gives the negotiators from the opposition parties more time to set out how the coalition government will work.

The only way cooler heads prevail is if Harper capitulates and gives us an Obama type stimulus plan, as well as a promise not to introduce the attempted killing of the Public Campaign finance system for the duration of his government. Then, he might survive.. But, I think he’s poisoned the well so much with this move, it may not be enough even then..

First of all, what would a Liberal/NDP coalition do differently? It would take weeks or months for new ministers to wrap their heads around the budget & finances etc. Remember Dion’s famous “I would build a team and in 30 days we would have a plan”? How would that help anyone?

Who is left of Martin’s cabinet that has actually run a department? This is not a time for new drivers (IMHO).