Erin O'Toole has found his bogeyman -- a "coalition government" between the Liberals and the NDP. Althea Raj writes:
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole had a hard time concealing his smile this week as he accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of forcing a “radical Liberal-NDP coalition agreement” down the throat of Grit MPs.
This (presumed) Liberal-NDP coalition would be a disaster for the economy, O’Toole said. It would “threaten the livelihood of millions of Canadians,” mean “billions of dollars of new spending to buy Jagmeet Singh’s silence,” “shut down Canadian energy and resource sectors,” “divide Canadians,” “threaten our national unity,” and make Canada “a poorer and less relevant nation,” the Tory leader suggested.
Except there isn't any coalition:
On Tuesday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was clear. “That is a firm ‘no’ for me. There is not going to be a coalition, at all. But I am prepared to find ways to work together.”
What that could mean runs the gamut from agreeing to fast-track legislation that both parties agree on (paid federal sick leave, the conversion therapy ban, housing affordability) to a kind of confidence and supply agreement, as experienced in British Columbia in 2017 between the NDP and the Greens. The talks are in their infancy.
Singh told reporters Canadians sent MPs back to Ottawa to “work for them,” and he wants Parliament to deliver.
It would be much better for O'Toole if Parliament didn't work:
Asked twice which topics he raised with the prime minister as possible areas of agreement, O’Toole only mentioned reconciliation. The role of the opposition, he suggested, was to oppose, to question, to scrutinize, to “ask questions about the ethical conduct of Justin Trudeau” rather than to try to work with the government to influence policies.
The Liberals are looking for some stability:
They want to avoid what they view as the toxic partisanship that characterized some of the Commons’ committees during the last sitting, where MPs held late night meetings, tried to call members of the prime minister’s family as witnesses, and dragged political staff to testify. They’d welcome the breathing room a long-term co-operation agreement could provide, where the NDP agrees not to defeat the Liberals on confidence matters such as the throne speech or the budget.
The Conservatives are working from the Republican playbook south of the border.
Image: The Toronto Star
6 comments:
The Cons have been running the GOP's obstructionist playbook with limited success since the Libs came to power. It doesn't adapt well to our circumstances. Their attempts to recreate the endless Benghazi inquiries have largely flopped. Their filibuster of the conversion therapy ban was a sad joke. These stunts help to energize their base, but without a Canadian Fox News to "catapult the propaganda," mainstream voters just yawn. The Cons are adrift with feckless leadership, just like the Libs were during the Harper years.
Cap
You'd think that, by now, the Cons would have abandoned this strategy, Cap. The fact that they haven't speaks to their lack of imagination.
Are most Canadians that misguided to believe the Cons at every turn? What the heck is wrong with Cons anyway? For example, Alberta has experienced the better economy since Covid began; has been given 30 billion dollars, more than any other province since 2020 and it still is complaining. Has money in reserve and is allowing Day Care to shut down. While the Atlantic Provinces have been shipping train loads of hay to farmers here in the West.... not even a mention nor a thank you. One would think there is nothing but attention to greed here. There isn't any passion for Canada coming out of Ottawa especially not the Conservatives. Do Libs, Cons ever listen to Canadians? There has to be a few smart people out there somewhere! Anyong
It worked for Harper; but fool me once.
Let's hope the smart people can see through the ruse, Anyong.
It took Canadians a while to cotton on to Harper, rumley. But I suspect they had O'Toole pegged pretty early.
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