Apolitical Staples

It would be an act of utter hypocrisy if the Tories pushed back opposition days in order to avoid a motion of non-confidence. They howled and screamed when Martin did it in 2005. Just thought I’d throw that in.

As for why Dion is acting the way he is, Paul Wells suggests that it’s to secure his political base. As Paul Wells also suggests, there might be subtler and more mature ways of going about it.

If you want to take it one step further, it’s a sign that the new Liberal party is exactly the same as the old Liberal party, and that the new Liberal leader is no different from the old Liberal leaders.

Stephen Harper essentially made this argument during his speech to caucus on Wednesday. Dion is making it awfully easy for him to do so. That’s what happens when a party picks a leader from its past. I just find it funny how so many Liberals bristle at the mere suggestion that Dion is no different. They picked him. Why not live with it? They had a chance to go new, they decided to go in the exact opposite direction. They chose the past. Simple.

“Conservatives seem to need a budget to help their chances in Quebec.”

Translation: Conservatives are toast if they don’t demonstrate to Quebecers their unwavering commitment to using RoC money to protect them from the laws of economics.

Nonsense, Harper would love to fall on Afghanistan.

But he won’t, because Dion isn’t dumb enough to vote him down on it.

Government will fall on the budget, unless Layton can find a way to support it.

I thought the Lieberal were against the conservatives joining with the separatists. Now we really know where Dion’s loyalties lie.

Nonsense, Harper would love to fall on Afghanistan.

It doesn’t matter what issue the government falls on since that doesn’t translate into what the election will focus on. And Afghanistan would be a dicey issue for Harper. If the election were to happen before the end of winter, it would be okay. But if it happens after then end of winter when the Taliban emerge from their hibernation causing another rise in Canadians coming home in body bags, then it will kill him. Dead Canadians are not something that can be spun away.

First Dion was against imaginary program cuts, now he is against an imaginary budget!

As Jane Taber would say: Hot Hot Hot. He’s on fire.

Next week Dion speaks out against ghosts but for Sasquatch. Direct quote: “The Sasquatch is an important Canadian institution and I would oppose any neo-conservative attempt to remove his funding”

Bloc talk to force an election on Afghanistan is more mischief directed at the Liberals, like the original “nation” motion. Its purpose is to crack open the gap between Dion and Ignatieff who, as we all should remember, had far more caucus support than Dion. Apparently Ignatieff has already warned Dion not to go there. If Dion forced the issue, what would Ignatieff, Graham and Brison et al, who voted for the extension, do? Vote against it? Dion did, and against Graham’s (the interim leader) orders. Now Dion expects all the MPs to obey him? Not going to happen. Dion will find a way to avoid opposing the Harper Government on Afghanistan. He will change the channel and, if he is so smart, avoid the traps that the Bloc is setting for him. Hence Dion’s recent rhetoric about opposing the non-existant budget, not Afghanistan.

I find it outrageous that Dion is declaring that he will oppose a budget that he has never seen.

That’s a denigration of the House, it’s a denigration of his duty. He is leader of the opposition; it is his duty to evaluate the motions put forth by the government. To refuse to evaluate - as he is doing by refusing to evaluate the budget - is a violation of his responsibilities and, an open rejection of the role of the House of Commons.

As for Afghanistan, the House voted for that extension, and by law, the operations of the Canadian military are not subject to the House but to the PM. Therefore, for the Bloc, NDP and Liberals, to insist that the Afghanistan mission is now subject to the House and not the PM, is - an open violation of the constitutional rules of Canada.

Dion is, as posters have noted, part of the Old Liberal Party. He has one agenda and only one, which he himself stated. Winning. That’s all. He’s not interested in the good of Canada and Canadians. Just winning power.