Christian Conservative Christian "Independent"

I'm an evangelical Christian, member of the CPC, but presently & unjustly exiled to wander the political wilderness.
All opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Rae makes his move against Iffy, proposes new Liberal-NDP Accord

Bob Rae, former NDP MP, former NDP Premier of Ontario, now turned Liberal MP, has posted some thoughts musing about a new Federal Liberal-NDP coalition, on the 25th anniversary of his Ontario Liberal-NDP Accord, which toppled the Progressive Conservative Government of Frank Miller.
Bob Rae hints at Liberal-NDP accord
Globe & Mail - Ottawa Notebook
Thursday, May 27, 2010 12:54 PM
Bill Curry

Bob Rae says there’s no rule preventing the Liberals and the NDP from ganging up and toppling a newly elected Tory government: He’s done it before and now he’s hinting it may happen again.

In a brief memoir posted this week on his website, the former Ontario NDP leader and premier delivers a shot across the bow as he looks back 25 years to an agreement he negotiated with the Liberals at Queen’s Park.
Of course he doesn't come out say it, but the thought must be running around in the mind of many Liberals who are thinking about a coalition after the next election... "And who better to lead such a coalition than someone who's been in BOTH parties, and who brought down TWO Conservative governments in the 70's and 80's?"

That's right folks... Rae has just put another knife in Iffy's back.


P.S. - Anyone else get the impression that the media is trying to soften up the ground with Canadians on the idea of a coalition? I think it's worth worrying about, if the media is starting to again openly campaign on the idea on behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada.

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posted by Christian Conservative @ 10:37 p.m.  

10 Comments:

  • At Thu May 27, 11:40:00 p.m. EDT, Blogger cantuc said…

    I think they started about 5 minutes after the Brits did it . I don't think I wish to be ruled by the downtown ghetto party myself but it might get interesting.

     

  • At Fri May 28, 12:29:00 a.m. EDT, Blogger Anon1152 said…

    I think you mean Frank Miller, not frank Klees.
    Klees has had leadership ambitions of various sorts... but I don't think he's succeeded. At least not yet.

     

  • At Fri May 28, 12:50:00 a.m. EDT, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I believe you mean "toppled the government of Frank Miller" not Klees.

     

  • At Fri May 28, 01:32:00 a.m. EDT, Blogger The_Iceman said…

    I think that most of Rae's support in the Liberal Party are the same people who want to see either a partnership or formal coalition with the NDP.

     

  • At Fri May 28, 01:32:00 a.m. EDT, Blogger Anon1152 said…

    "That's right folks... Rae has just put another knife in Iffy's back."

    That blog post counts as a "knife"? That's not a knife...

     

  • At Fri May 28, 01:34:00 a.m. EDT, Blogger Anon1152 said…

    "Bob Rae says there’s no rule preventing the Liberals and the NDP from ganging up and toppling a newly elected Tory government: He’s done it before and now he’s hinting it may happen again."

    Bob Rae says so, yes. But... "the rules" say so too, do they not? That counts for more in my books.

    Also, there is another (and I think more accurate/honest) characterization (other than "toppling"). The governments of Miller and Clark were not "toppled." They "lost the confidence of the House". Whoever forms the government is supposed to be able to maintain the confidence of the House (and by extension, the people).

    Oh, by the way, are you in favour of fixed election dates? I would think that if there was an honest commitment to fixed election dates, there would be elections on those fixed dates, and not in between. If a government fell in a confidence vote, another government would have to form, using the same set of MPs or MPPs that were elected in the previous election--i.e., the group of MPs or MPPs--had the confidence of the house.

    That's how I think it could and perhaps should work in a context of fixed election dates...if there was an honest commitment to fixed election dates (which I don't think exists).

    **For the record:

    - At the moment, I am not convinced that fixed election dates are a good idea. And as we saw in 2008, Harper did not so much bring in fixed election dates as reduce the length of time a government could hold power from five years to four years.

    - I acknowledge that if fixed election dates are a bad idea, Harper is as guilty as McGuinty...

     

  • At Fri May 28, 06:17:00 a.m. EDT, Blogger Shawn Abigail said…

    The media lives on news, and good news about an improving economy doesn't sell papers or advertising slots.

    But a coalition? Hey, that's a great idea for stirring things up, causing chaos and selling papers.

    Who knows, it may even allow the press to play kingmaker, and power is an incredible rush.

     

  • At Fri May 28, 08:24:00 a.m. EDT, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    This is really more a coup rather than simply a knife.

    The official stance of the Lib party is no coalition. So why does the deputy leader publicly muse about it?

    Of course Rae as usual leaves details out that have previously caused him credibility issues (denied Ignatieff signed last years coalition deal).The numbers in Ontario were much closer (seats pc-50;lib-45) and the combined totals of Lib-NDP were a strong majority. His attempt last year was doomed to fail and it did.

    The deal signed last year with the sepratists was not only a betrayal of Canada but the legacy of the Liberal party. Most Libs wish it had never happened.Most but clearly not all.

     

  • At Fri May 28, 09:10:00 a.m. EDT, Blogger Christian Conservative said…

    LOL... my bad, thanks for catching that Anon1152 - corrected.

     

  • At Fri May 28, 11:00:00 a.m. EDT, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Two things
    1) fixed election dates are meant to curb majority governments. Minority governmets still follow the Westminster traditions but have an end date. There may be an argument to be made to have 4 year fixed terms for majorities and 2 year fixed terms for minorities but that is another debate.
    2) Bob Rae is sooooo hated by the Ontario NDP that I think that they would actively work against him. People that were in Boob Rae's government are now in the federal parliament and as the saying goes there is nothing worse than a Dipper scorned.

     

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