Harper urges opposition to back off from election plans
Posted March 23, 2011 9:47 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA (NEWS1130) – Prime Minister Stephen Harper says it’s not too late for the opposition to reconsider their stance against the budget and avoid what he calls a “useless” federal election.
He says he will not go to the Governor General to dissolve Parliament and launch an election campaign before the Commons votes on the budget.
Harper adds it’s not too late for the opposition leaders to “back off” and listen to Canadians and Canadian businesses. The prime minister says he’s disappointed the opposition leaders “didn’t take the time to read the budget.”
The Conservatives might not see a lot of reason to change their budget, considering the latest polling numbers. Parliament would look much the same if an election were held today, says Poli-Sci Professor Dr. John Redekop with Trinity Western University.
He tells us if an election maintains the status quo, it’s unlikely the Tories will make any major changes. “So, we’ll get the budget again, and then the opposition parties, at least one of them, will have to support it,” he explains.
“It is very unlikely that the opposition parties would again combine to defeat the government, a few weeks after an election. That would be suicide for them,” he adds.
Meanwhile, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff says they will introduce a motion of non-confidence this afternoon to bring down the government later this week. “We believe that the moment has come for Canadians to make a choice here between responsible, progressive, compassionate choices by the Liberal Party of Canada or the irresponsible and undemocratic path that the Conservative government has taken this country on.”
If the Liberals’ motion passes, there will be a spring election. Our Parliament Hill reporter Cormac MacSweeney tells us opposition parties don’t want to go to the polls on the budget. “This is really just a bunch of Parliamentary games right now.”
“The Conservatives would love to be brought down on the budget itself,” he explains. “But the Liberals are going to take them down on ethical issues and claim that the government is corrupt and bad. So, this is what they’ve done to try and basically call this election on their own terms.”
MacSweeney says the Liberals would like to pass a non-confidence motion before the budget even comes up for debate.
NDP leader Jack Layton says Harper is incapable of working with others on behalf of Canadians. “This Prime Minister can’t be trusted. Stephen Harper has had five years to fix what is wrong in Ottawa, five years to deliver on his promise to make life more affordable, to clean up scandals in Ottawa once and for all, but instead he’s made it worse.”
But Layton says there is still some time for the government to change the budget and possibly gain NDP support.
Ways the government could go
One way or the other, we are facing the prospect of a federal election in May. It would be the fourth time in seven years that Canadians have gone to the polls, and there are a number of scenarios that could see the plug pulled on the current minority Conservative government by week’s end.
The NDP, the Bloc and the Liberals have all made it clear how they’ll vote on the federal budget. That vote is Friday, and it could topple the Harper government and trigger an election. But could Harper call an election himself?
Option One: the federal Liberals are deciding today whether to move a motion of non-confidence against the Harper government, which is facing contempt of Parliament accusations and a string of scandals.
Option Two: all three opposition parties have stated they will vote against the federal budget tabled yesterday. If it does not pass a vote Friday, the Tories topple and an election will be called.
Option Three: Prime Minister Harper could make the election call himself. In defending his budget this morning, he announced he will not go to the Governor General to dissolve Parliament and launch an election campaign before the Commons votes on the budget.
Does opposition stand to lose from an early election?
Political Science Professor Dr. John Redekop is with Trinity Western University and says the Liberals and NDP are focusing on perceived missteps by the Conservatives, and that is a miscalculation.
He says Canadians are focused on the economy, not any perceived controversy. “The most sensitive nerve is the one that runs to the wallet, and the Liberals seem to have forgot that.”
Polling numbers show the Conservatives almost have enough support to form a majority government.
