Harper's just salivating waiting for this dumb Liberal idea to happen.
In my opinion, a Liberal-NDP pre-election alliance is one of the few scenarios that could actually lead to a Con majority. It would definitely backfire.
Mulcair is the leader most supportive of a coalition not the Liberals.
Of course Mulcair is open to the idea because he is a progressive but he also knows all about Liberal treachery. I have put out a suggestion. What is the Liberal proposal?
A post-election coalition, which any thinking person should support. That's how functional parliaments work. A pre-election arrangement is just stupid. And also undemocratic.
Well said JTT.
________________________________
How much is Trudeau overpaid as Mulcair oversees 95 MPs, whereas Trudeau only overseas 35?
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/28/stephen-harper-justin-trudeau-tr...
And from a Nathan Cullen facebook post yesterday:
The Conservative 'plan' for the economy was always a house of cards - rip and ship development praying for high prices. Now that the economy is so weak (job growth was a little over half of pop'n growth last year in Canada) we need action - not delay. Where's the plan Mr. Harper? Where's your budget Mr. Oliver? Or are you just hoping for Saudi Arabia to change their minds?
‘There will be blood’ in Canada from oil price collapse, JPMorgan warns
JPMorgan Chase warns of hit from the slump in crude pricesTHEGLOBEANDMAIL.COM
and a second post from Nathan Cullen (BC NDP MP):
We have a Conservative Jobs Minister getting his stats from Kijiji, an Industry Minister who relies on a magazine - sorry James Moore, Canada has lost 400,000 manufacturing jobs since you took over. I know, math is hard.
Thanks Nathan
Well said JTT.
________________________________
How much is Trudeau overpaid as Mulcair oversees 95 MPs, whereas Trudeau only overseas 35?
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/28/stephen-harper-justin-trudeau-tr...
Mulcair is being paid as leader of the opposition not of the NDP. Trudeau's income is as leader of the Liberal party by the Liberal party. It's about what Trudeau makes giving a single speech and he has revived the Liberal party practically from the dead so I don't think it's excessive.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/the-ndp-and-liberals-must-c...
In fact Thomas Mulcair has not repudiated "coalition" or an agreement. He has in fact clearly indicated that he is willing to work with the Liberals in a post election sphere.
....
It is Trudeau who has rejected a post-election arrangement to defeat Harper, and he is the problem not Mulcair.
The Liberals will continue to rule out — as Trudeau did in a year-end interview — the option of joining the NDP in a coalition government, the better to convince New Democrats seeking regime change to move over to them.
The losers will be the voters who will once again be held hostage to a winner-take-all approach to parliamentary democracy.
Yes Mulcair changed his mind when the NDP started their downward slide.
One thing Mulcair is clear on is that he’ll go after Liberal supporters, but won’t work with the rival party. “N.O.,” he told HuffPost. The NDP tried to form a coalition with the Liberals in 2008 and then the Grits “lifted their noses up on it,” Mulcair said.The coalition experience taught Mulcair everything he needs to know about the Liberals. They’re untrustworthy and he said he’ll never work with them again, whether in a formal or informal coalition. “The no is categorical, absolute, irrefutable and non-negotiable. It’s no. End of story. Full stop,” he said.
http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/where-does-thomas-mulcair-stand/
So you can stop the holier than thou crap. I often agree with Chantal Hebert but not always. In this case I don't. Canada has had many minority governments that worked out just fine without any formal coalitions. Harper ran multiple minority governments without any trouble so there is no reason to believe that the Liberals or the NDP couldn't run a minority government. If anything Harper did a bang-up job of showing just how well it can be done without collaborating at all with anyone. He dared the other parties to bring him down and trigger another election.
If either the NDP or the Liberals win a minority government they will govern without an official coalition. Harper winning a minority is the only scenario in which a coalition becomes a consideration for the Liberals and the NDP.
Chantal said this:
The Liberals will continue to rule out — as Trudeau did in a year-end interview — the option of joining the NDP in a coalition government, the better to convince New Democrats seeking regime change to move over to them.
but omitted to say that Mulcair is now accepting a coalition because the NDP is losing.
And from Nikki Ashton (NDP MP Churchill Manitoba)
Harper's Canada. The loss of the mandatory long form census has "inhibited research into inequality and identifying winners and losers in economic growth, research into understanding the national problems of the have-nots in the economy, and research into how best to provision local government services.”
Cities footing the bill for data gap after long-form census scrapped
A private member’s bill to reinstate the long-form census is shining a spotlight on how municipalities are coping with the data gapTHEGLOBEANDMAIL.COM
I'm highlighting some of these postings as the kinds of issues being raised as a prelude to policy and campaign pledges coming this year...
It is going to take brains to defeat Harper.
The 2015 ballot question explained
http://warrenkinsella.com/2015/01/the-2015-ballot-question-explained-gra...
Well said JTT.
________________________________
How much is Trudeau overpaid as Mulcair oversees 95 MPs, whereas Trudeau only overseas 35?
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/28/stephen-harper-justin-trudeau-tr...
Mulcair is being paid as leader of the opposition not of the NDP. Trudeau's income is as leader of the Liberal party by the Liberal party. It's about what Trudeau makes giving a single speech and he has revived the Liberal party practically from the dead so I don't think it's excessive.
Does this include all the money he charges charities to bless them with his presence on his speaking circuit???
CBC finally starting to listen to Tom Mulcair, but where's the acknowledgment?
Oil matters until it doesn't, says Ottawa. That's not Alberta's view
Alberta's not delaying its budget, so why is Ottawa?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/oil-matters-until-it-doesn-t-says-...
Great leaders hold their nerve;
Stephen Harper? Not so much
http://www.ipolitics.ca/2015/02/01/great-leaders-hold-their-nerve-harper...
On simple questions
http://accidentaldeliberations.blogspot.ca/2015/02/on-simple-questions.html
Coalition with the NDP
There is constant political speculation about what Mr. Trudeau will do if Mr. Harper is re-elected with a minority government. Will Mr. Trudeau topple the Tories in Parliament and form a coalition government with the NDP’s Tom Mulcair?
“There are some very, very big impediments to forming a coalition with the NDP. Which is why I am against it.”
http://www.24news.ca/the-news/canada-news/74990-justin-trudeau-rules-out...
What's Mr Taylor up to these days?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Taylor_%28philosopher%29
Well said JTT.
________________________________
How much is Trudeau overpaid as Mulcair oversees 95 MPs, whereas Trudeau only overseas 35?
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/28/stephen-harper-justin-trudeau-tr...
Mulcair is being paid as leader of the opposition not of the NDP. Trudeau's income is as leader of the Liberal party by the Liberal party. It's about what Trudeau makes giving a single speech and he has revived the Liberal party practically from the dead so I don't think it's excessive.
Does this include all the money he charges charities to bless them with his presence on his speaking circuit???
Trudeau hasn't given paid speeches in several years. He stopped doing them when he ran for the Liberal leadership. So quit it with the smears.
And the post about salary being based on the number of MP's in a caucus is truly bizarre. I guess Layton should have gotten a very, very small salary when he took over the NDP then, since it had only 13 MP's at the time.
No wonder Harper is winning when this is what his opponents spend their time arguing about. 
Trudeau was an elected politician who took money for those speeches just like Mansbridge was working for the CBC when the oil industry paid him.
Neither was the right thing to do, but particuarly Trudeau living off a trust fund.
Can't you see that?
The price of a speech from Trudeau
So the Liberal leader is going to make amends. Now what?
http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/the-price-of-a-speech-from-justin...
Terror could be rare winning issue for Conservatives in Quebec:
For the first time in years, Stephen Harper has on his side a major issue that connects with more than a small minority of Quebecers.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/02/02/terror-could-be-rare-winni...
Is Harper also trying to stir up anger towards Muslims?
--
Harper should apologize for ‘Islamophobic’ comments: Mulcair
http://www.ipolitics.ca/2015/02/02/harper-should-apologize-for-islamopho...
Well said JTT.
________________________________
How much is Trudeau overpaid as Mulcair oversees 95 MPs, whereas Trudeau only overseas 35?
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/28/stephen-harper-justin-trudeau-tr...
Mulcair is being paid as leader of the opposition not of the NDP. Trudeau's income is as leader of the Liberal party by the Liberal party. It's about what Trudeau makes giving a single speech and he has revived the Liberal party practically from the dead so I don't think it's excessive.
Does this include all the money he charges charities to bless them with his presence on his speaking circuit???
Trudeau hasn't given paid speeches in several years. He stopped doing them when he ran for the Liberal leadership. So quit it with the smears.
And the post about salary being based on the number of MP's in a caucus is truly bizarre. I guess Layton should have gotten a very, very small salary when he took over the NDP then, since it had only 13 MP's at the time.
No wonder Harper is winning when this is what his opponents spend their time arguing about.
Speaking of bizarre and Trudeau giving speeches, there is this.
Muslim groups 'troubled' by Stephen Harper's mosque remark
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair decries prime minister's comment as a form of Islamaphobia
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/muslim-groups-troubled-by-stephen-harper...
Bloomberg Nanos Weekly Consumer Confidence Tracking
Gap between the Bloomberg Nanos Pocketbook and Expectations Sub-indices widens significantly.
"The Bloomberg Nanos Pocketbook Sub-indice registered a six year high in the wake of lower interest rates and gas prices," said Nanos Research Group Chairman Nik Nanos. "At the same time the Expectations Sub-indice which measures forward views continued to plummet concurrent with a decline in the value of the Canadian dollar."
"Canadian consumers had apparently sensed a pivot point as year-over-year real GDP growth dipped below two percent in November. The value of the Canadian dollar reached its lowest point of the past decade, with forward-market expectations offering little encouragement in the quarters and years ahead. And after the first Bank of Canada rate cut in more than six years, market-implied expectations overwhelmingly suggest that rates will be cut again at the March 4th BoC meeting,"said Peter Savvin and Robert Lawrie, of Bloomberg Economics.
The BNCCI, a composite of a weekly measure of financial health and economic expectations, registered at 55.63 compared with last week's 56.47. The twelve month high stands at 60.60. The Bloomberg Nanos Pocketbook Index is based on survey responses to questions on personal finances and job security. This sub-indice was at 64.07 this week compared to 63.68 the previous week. The Bloomberg Nanos Expectations Index, based on surveys for the outlook for the economy and real estate prices, was at 47.19 this week (compared to 49.25 last week).
The average for the BNCCI since 2008 has been 57.25 with a low of 43.28 in December 2008 and a high of 62.92 in December 2009. The index has averaged 56.16 this year.
To view the weekly tracking visit our website.
Methodology
The BNCCI is produced by the Nanos Research Corporation, headquartered in Canada, which operates in Canada and the United States. The data is based on random telephone interviews with 1,000 Canadian consumers (land- and cell-lines), using a four week rolling average of 250 respondents each week, 18 years of age and over. The random sample of 1,000 respondents may be weighted by age and gender using the latest census information for Canada and the sample is geographically stratified to be representative of Canada. The interviews are compiled into a four week rolling average of 1,000 interviews where each week, the oldest group of 250 interviews is dropped and a new group of 250 interviews is added. The views of 1,000 respondents are compiled into a diffusion index from 0 to 100. A score of 50 on the diffusion index indicates that positive and negative views are a wash while scores above 50 suggest net positive views, while those below 50 suggest net negative views in terms of the economic mood of Canadians.
A random telephone survey of 1,000 consumers in Canada is accurate 3.1 percentage points, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20.
All references or use of this data must cite Bloomberg Nanos as the source. Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Consumer Confidence Index Data Summary for January 30th, 2014:
BNCCI
This week
55.63
Last week
56.47
2015 high
56.82
Jan 16
2015 low
55.63
Jan 30
2015 average
56.16
2008 average
49.21
Worst full year
2010 average
59.13
Best full year
Dec 31, 2008
43.28
Record low
Dec 31, 2009
62.92
Record high
Overall index average
57.25
Speaking of bizarre and Trudeau giving speeches, there is this.
And then there is William Shatner's expert critique of Justin's acting style.
Green transition cannot be left to provinces alone
http://www.broadbentinstitute.ca/en/blog/green-transition-cannot-be-left...
Bill C-50, Citizen Voting Act, Would Suppress Votes, NDP Say
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/02/03/bill-c-50-citizen-voting-act-pie...
Sana Hassaina not running again
Something weird is happening in Quebec. A blue wave?
EKOS Poll (Quebec)
CPC-25.7 !!!!!!!!!!!
LPC-26.7
NDP-23.1
FORUM (A Liberal conspiracy) Quebec poll
CPC-26
LPC-27
NDP-25
Federal -EKOS LATEST
CPC-35
LPC-32.2
NDP-17.9
SEAT Projections-
CPC-152
LPC-127
NDP=55
GREEN (A Front for the LPC) -2
BQ-2
WHAT UP QUEBEC?
EKOS is nonsense. Ignore that poll.
What should obviously be front and center in this election but won't be is Canada's involvment/ relationship with Ukraine and Israel. Their importance is self evident, the implications about as serious as you can get. Is everybody really cool about $400 Million in loans to Nazis and billionaire oligarchs currently conducting a final solution in eastern Ukraine? Who will probably default soon and not pay back. Do we really have $400 M to toss down that filthy NATO-Nazi toilet, never mind the white phosphorous and cluster bombs, burning swastikas into buttocks, and all the rest, never mind the actual ethics and morality of the thing.
Our relationship with Israel is also self-evidently deeply disgusting. Having once again suffered their regular 'lawn-mowing' the people of gaza live in even worse ruin than they did before. Israeli land-thievery for which they are well known increases exponentially as does their infamous barbarity towards palestinian prisoners in their dungeons and torture chambers. Including children. Canada has signed deep and significant political agreements with Israel. People need to question just what kind of a thing their government is getting them into here. Politicians must be held accountable.
At least by progressive people. And they will have to insist. And insist again. To let such issues pass means we are like them.
I am not surprised about the advance of the Conservative numbers in Quebec at all. If that trend continues, Harper is looking at a massive majority.
Couillard and Coderre endorsed Harper's draconian security act without a blink.
Harper whipped up a dog whistle against Muslims and the Right in Quebec (which I am discovering is considerable) is picking up the call. Justin Trudeau is soft on terrorism. I heard it on 98.5.
The entrance of Justin Trudeau as leader seems to be very good for the Conservative Party in Quebec. Now the Liberals have to contend with the Conservatives as well as the Bloc and the NDP. Harper can send in his Ontario multicultural specialists to hit on Montreal communities, who the Liberals may still own in Montreal. This strategy has already been proven to work in 905.
Harper had better be careful who he picks in Quebec. Conservatives have made some silly mistakes in that regard. Lucien Bouchard is one example. So is biker-girlfriend-briefcase-guy. Actually vet your candidates for demagoguery, because in any political party, one is enough. Boring high-achieving professional people who exude bland confidence and know how to stay out of the limelight.
Vetting NDP candidates in Quebec!
If CpC is polling high in Quebec, the National Satellite Offices Party is affected the most. the only reasons for high Tories number are Quebec polls and higher support in BC. The liberals are still leading in Ontario
Mulcair has high approval altough not in double digits because most people dont know him.the less known u r, the higher approval. the NDP couldn't win Sudbury! How will it win in 905? The liberal ground game has changed under Trudeau , many volunteers are working to build a better Canada. While CPC/NDP alliance focuses on Trudeau, he is focussing on working for a better Canada. politicians of all stripe are in politics for Fame and Money. Trudeau needs neither!
If CpC is polling high in Quebec, the National Satellite Offices Party is affected the most. the only reasons for high Tories number are Quebec polls and higher support in BC. The liberals are still leading in Ontario
Mulcair has high approval altough not in double digits because most people dont know him.the less known u r, the higher approval. the NDP couldn't win Sudbury! How will it win in 905? The liberal ground game has changed under Trudeau , many volunteers are working to build a better Canada. While CPC/NDP alliance focuses on Trudeau, he is focussing on working for a better Canada. politicians of all stripe are in politics for Fame and Money. Trudeau needs neither!
If CpC is polling high in Quebec, the National Satellite Offices Party is affected the most. the only reasons for high Tories number are Quebec polls and higher support in BC. The liberals are still leading in Ontario
Mulcair has high approval altough not in double digits because most people dont know him.the less known u r, the higher approval. the NDP couldn't win Sudbury! How will it win in 905? The liberal ground game has changed under Trudeau , many volunteers are working to build a better Canada. While CPC/NDP alliance focuses on Trudeau, he is focussing on working for a better Canada. politicians of all stripe are in politics for Fame and Money. Trudeau needs neither!
Yes, all Justin needs is some actual accomplishment in his life to make his fame and wealth feel justified. It must be hard to know that you've ridden your father's coat tails all your life. Unfortunately for Justin, the position of Prime Minister isn't a medal we give out to make kids feel good about themselves. It's one of the most important jobs in the country, requiring loads of experience and skill. Justin has neither!
Oh, and Mulcair has the highest approval ratings in areas that know him best, which directly contradicts your notion that it is a lack of exposure that makes him popular. That makes no sense in general but it is also not in line with any evidence we have.
Question for all the Liberal supporters here. Let's say the Liberals finish third place in a minority Parliament and become kingmakers. What would you like to see happen? Do you have a preference for the Liberals to support one party over another? Are there agenda items you hope the Liberals would advance?
Yes, all Justin needs is some actual accomplishment in his life to make his fame and wealth feel justified. It must be hard to know that you've ridden your father's coat tails all your life. Unfortunately for Justin, the position of Prime Minister isn't a medal we give out to make kids feel good about themselves. It's one of the most important jobs in the country, requiring loads of experience and skill. Justin has neither!
Hmmm.. Mike Layton? Joe Cressy? Noone has the experience and skill to be PM! Harper didnt ! Obama didnt! Canada doesnt need another "experienced" politician like Mulcair. We need a charasmatic leader like Trudeau.
Oh, and Mulcair has the highest approval ratings in areas that know him best, which directly contradicts your notion that it is a lack of exposure that makes him popular. That makes no sense in general but it is also not in line with any evidence we have.
Yes we do! Horwath had the best approval rating! so did Dix! Approval rating r high, if noone really knows who you are.
Question for all the Liberal supporters here. Let's say the Liberals finish third place in a minority Parliament and become kingmakers. What would you like to see happen? Do you have a preference for the Liberals to support one party over another? Are there agenda items you hope the Liberals would advance?
The chance of Liberals finishing third is 0%. If they do, Id prefer they leave it to "experienced" politicans like Mulclair and Harper to manage a coalition. There base is very similar, both parties started in the West. Both want to reduce taxes for the rich. Both will do nothing on the environment. Middle East policy is the same. Most importantly, both hate Trudeau. If "change that is ready" is really ready, it should win a majority on its own. I have no desire to support the CPC/NDP alliance. Latest polling has Liberals -2. CPC+3 .NDP-4. In order for the NDP to win a majority, it must win big in BC (Where Greens are very strong), in ON (which historically has been a CPC/LPC fight). and Atlantic Canada (where Liberal brand is the strongest). NDP will lose big in Quebec to LPC in Montreal, and Outaouais. CPC will win big in Rest of Quebec, as shown by many polls.
Wanting a charismatic leader shows signs of a Leadership Delusional Complex. Hitler was a charismatic leader. Mussolini was a charismatic leader. They killed millions. In fact, the worst choice you could pick is "Charismatic Leader". Do you even know who Hitler and Mussolini were?
The best the Liberals can say about Satellite-gate is that it is a mini-Adscam, and it wasn't even that. If it is an Adscam, it is like Liberals. Why would you blame the NDP for being like Liberals? Satellite-gate was a Tory scam to bully, harass, and smear the NDP, and the Liberals should be supporting the NDP on that or at least giving them the benefit of the doubt. If the Liberals are taunting on Satellite-gate, it simply means there will be no difference between a Liberal and Conservative government. The Liberals will bully, harass, and smear the NDP too.
Liberal volunteers are not working for the betterment of Canada, they are working for the possibility of constituency office and parliamentary jobs. With a Liberal, there is always a "what's in it for me." They hate it when I say "what's in it for me" on the actual PLATFORM, you know, as a ... v v v v voter? To Liberals, voters are to be lied to and then spat upon. It seems that enough young people come up each generation who are unwise to lying Liberal ways. They have not yet been screwed themselves, and they have been promised they will be able to screw many people using Liberal Power.
We don't have to worry about the Liberals. The Tories are branding Justin as "soft on terrorism" as we speak. The Tories will defeat the Liberals. The regions of Ontario and Western Canada will absolutely ensure a defeat of the Liberals. What we want to do is defeat the Tories, and we can't do that as Liberals. As a Liberal, know you will be defeated by Conservatives, and hard. Conservatives I know would all rather see the NDP over the Liberals. As one said, "my mother is rolling in my grave as I say this."
Saying that a party "will get" Y number of seats in October is assuming probabilities to be true, which is a false statement. The best you can say is that given the current state of the polls party X "would get" Y number of seats. Please learn the difference between the future and the conditional.
.
Good catch Jan - the msp are full of their usual silliness.
---------
Cabinet shuffle moves Rob Nicholson to Foreign Affairs, Jason Kenney to Defence, Etc.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cabinet-shuffle-moves-rob-nicholson-to-f...
The chance of Liberals finishing third is 0%. If they do, Id prefer they leave it to "experienced" politicans like Mulclair and Harper to manage a coalition. There base is very similar, both parties started in the West. Both want to reduce taxes for the rich. Both will do nothing on the environment. Middle East policy is the same. Most importantly, both hate Trudeau. If "change that is ready" is really ready, it should win a majority on its own. I have no desire to support the CPC/NDP alliance. Latest polling has Liberals -2. CPC+3 .NDP-4. In order for the NDP to win a majority, it must win big in BC (Where Greens are very strong), in ON (which historically has been a CPC/LPC fight). and Atlantic Canada (where Liberal brand is the strongest). NDP will lose big in Quebec to LPC in Montreal, and Outaouais. CPC will win big in Rest of Quebec, as shown by many polls.
Lol..Where do I begin with this post?
(a) There will never be an NDP/CPC coalition government.Atleast without the CPC having to come to the centre (not happening)
(b) The CPC winning big in Québec? What polls have you been reading?
This is indeed significant, unfortunately it does not appear to bode well for the Liberals.
Sounds like another one of Trudeau's major fuckups as it looks like he was set up by the Cons.
Oh well, what can you say, as no one thinks Trudeau is the sharpest tool in the box!
After all how did that Lise St Denis work out for the Liberals?
It looks like the Liberals will take any of the Cons & NDP leftovers, eh!
Liberal embrace of Eve Adams doesn’t add up:
If the Liberals were looking for someone to lead voters out of the Conservative fold, Eve Adams would be a counterintuitive choice.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/02/09/liberal-embrace-of-eve-ada...
So now the Liberals have Dimitri Soudas and Eve Adams. The possibilities of graft are staggering, consdering where Soudas has just been.
Jason Kenney — the minister in charge of winning the election
If anyone thought national security and the fight against terrorism were not going to be major parts of the Conservatives' re-election campaign, Stephen Harper’s cabinet shuffle ended any doubts. Moving Jason Kenney to National Defence hands the former employment minister a load of problems while giving Harper one undeniable benefit: his government’s most effective communicator front and centre on the security file.
http://www.ipolitics.ca/2015/02/09/jason-kenney-the-minister-in-charge-o...
The NDP should run an ad during the campaign about floor-crossers - voters hate that unethical behavior.
