Layton Won't Rule Out No-Confidence Motion Against Government

According to the vibes coming from Bill Graham the Liberals will vote against an NDP confidence motion if it is brought to Parliament.

LOL, CBC changed the headline.

More proof that when what's good for Canada is not good for the Liberals, what's good for Liberals matters more.

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Everybody got to deviate from the norm

In my opinion, Layton's grand standing is not really directed at the Conservatives but at the Liberals. Layton's father was a former Progressive Conservative and it may be that his sympathies are with the Conservatives. For whatever the reason, under his leadership, the focus of the party is directed primarily against the Liberals. Everything from taking down the Martin government, to the announcement of the investigation into income trusts, to the strategies of its communications people, to this particular strategy is directed at hurting the Liberals and in the process acts to support the Conservatives.

He knows that the Liberals do not want to risk an election before their leadership convention and will be forced to support the government if he brings in a non-confidence motion. I don't believe that Canadians in general like this kind of grand standing.

Whatever Layton's objectives, it seems he is beginning to look more foolish all the time.

I think the issue should be the important thing to remember here. I don't know how you feel about the Conservatives environmental "plan" or the environment in general but imo this is a serious enough issue that someone SHOULD be taking a stand.
I'd be questioning their motives if he weren't doing this. e.g. we can't force an election because the Liberals aren't ready.


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Everybody got to deviate from the norm

They changed the whole story that link points to. WTF?

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"I think it's important to always carry enough technology to restart civilization, should it be necessary." Mark Tilden

I am in agreement with you Wraun. In a sane world the Conservatives would be turfed immediately for such a transparently do nothing approach to such a vital issue. But we don’t live in a sane world. An ignorant electorate votes for a government that reinforces and reflects the prevailing stupidity of the average man or woman on the street.

Government has failed on this issue and will continue to fail until we hold their feet over the fire. The responsibility for this failure can be shared by most of Joe and Jane public.

Mike
Winnipeg

Yes, at first I thought it was Vive editors but it was actually the CBC.

It seems to me that all Layton has done is provided the government with a clear way out. Sending the environmental issue to a legislative committe is the best strategy for delaying the issue until the next election, expected in the spring, while giving the government the opportunity to create the impression of co-operating with the opposition. None of the opposition parties can reject that option without looking unwilling to co-operate on an issue important to the electorate.

I think all Layton has accomplished is to muddy the waters on an issue on which the neo-cons are vulnerable, something that can work to the advantage of the government coming up to the next election.

If it does gain some real action, then I will willingly admit I was wrong but I am skeptical that this is a positive development for the environment.

Here’s a fantasy scenario for you.
If the Harper really wanted to disarm the opposition on this issue and possibly ensure a majority government after the next election, the Conservatives could have proposed an environmental bill that actually did something. In other words it could have been a golden opportunity. I know … fantasy.

But we now have the current situation of pointless political posturing as mentioned in the responses to this post. Pointless because nothing will be done.

This situation is unfortunately absolutely predictable and very boring since it’s the same crap all the time. I expect nothing from these clowns and they’re not surprising me. It would be nice to be surprised for a change.

The report by Sir Nicholas Stern should be on the desk of each MP and Senator, and they should be required to read it from front to back.

I'm one Canadian who likes it, but only because he's right, and it's nice to see Jack with some fire in his belly for a change.

People are sick of government humming and hawwing about global warming in order to make sure all private companies are not badly impacted, and the CEO has to cancel buying that new cabin cruiser with the helicopter.

Peak oil is here and it's time to change our society before we are all sitting in the dark moaning about who turned out the lights.

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“The war is not meant to be won, it is meant to be continuous, the essential act of warfare is the destruction of the produce of human labour”

I was appalled at the comments section on CBC Newsworld after the announcement of the British report, and CBC following up with a special on climate change in the Arctic.

Nearly 50% of the posters still didn't believe humans had anything to do with global warming, and that this was all some kind of neo-liberal environmentalist conspiracy to terrorize us into accepting changes to our lifestyles.

The reality is that the world is ran by the right-wing capitalists, who would like to see it all burned to the ground and paved, for enormous profit to a very few. It is the environmentalists who have been marginalized and repressed and silenced for far too long.

Finally, when a strong environmental statement is actually promoted by the media, we get a loud BOOO! from the legions of red-necks who would like to see the tree huggers rounded up and shot. Who feel their SUV driving experience and hard wood from Brazil threatened. Who would fight tooth and nail to be allowed the priviledge of going on polluting, destroying and consuming until the planet flicks us off like a tick and another species has it's turn.

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“The war is not meant to be won, it is meant to be continuous, the essential act of warfare is the destruction of the produce of human labour”

"Whatever Layton's objectives, it seems he is beginning to look more foolish all the time."

The truth is just the truth, we need more of it and it is never foolish.

Knowing or predicting what the Liberals are thinking or will do is irrelevant. There will no doubt be too many motives behind any of that.

Thanks for that Jack and thanks for standing out with some truth on Afghanistan too.

A few more of these important truths and there will be a true political choice that everyone can clearly see.