Today, there are 3 very good reasons to bring down the Stephen Harper "Government"...
1) Hidden Agenda Immigration Bill Hidden In a Budget Bill - Only someone as cagey as Harper would try something like this. The full-time partisan knows no other way to pass his bill without bullying it through this way. We need to ensure we maintain our city base - our key urban voters - and NOT voting against this is an insult to everything our party stands for.
2) Ontario-Quebec Agreement. This agreement is very fresh in the voters' minds, and is a slap in the face of the Harper government. We can capitalize on the mood in Central Canada.
3) Scandal, scandal, scandal. What hasn't this government scandalized: dealings with the departments; government appointees; privacy commissioner; "freedom of information" requests; income trust investors; foreign affairs, Canadian security, and Canada's image abroad; Canada's relationship with the potential future POTUS President of the US; Canada's relationship with its' First Nations; Election financing (steal an election lately Mr. Harper?); Canada's status as a trusted "neutral", peace-making nation; nuclear safety; the relationship with Canada's 2 largest provinces; potentially buying the vote of an MP on his death-bed; etc., etc., etc.
The timing is right - right now.
If you choose not to go now, there certainly needs to be a good reason. We can understand the need to investigate further into various scandals - and holding Mr. Harper accountable to the people. Saying "the Canadian people are not ready for an election" better not be the reason. We know the party is ready, so that can't be it either.
If you choose not to go right now, please, please don't come begging for help pulling votes in my community (the Punjabi community) in Greater Vancouver. Despite your handful of caucus colleagues from our cultural background, we may all find it difficult to pull vote from the community - especially when they're running against other South Asians. From recent conversations with key community members - WHO VOTED LIBERAL THE LAST ELECTION (for people like Sukh Dhaliwal, for example) - the word coming out after the Harper Government's supposed apology for the Komagata Maru incident, was that "they helped us with this, so this time around we'll need to support them". There's already a good chunk of support gone due to this. Stand up for your core supporters in these ridings by fighting for liberal/Liberal principles!
Edit: To have the caucus sit through the vote, or have some members vote against, would be just barely palatable. Just barely... But the party will need to have a very clear and STRONG set of promises for the urban areas, national multiculturalism, First Nations, etc. And, let's make it very clear: remember who put you where you are.
5 comments:
Why? This is what would happen if the Liberals went today.
Best case they hold and Harper picks between 10-12 Bloc seats in Quebec. The party ends up in another leadership race and is completly unable to fight another election anytime soon. After the next election the cupboard is bare. The Liberals are broke. No money. Do not believe me? Go riding by riding and tell me how the Liberals are going to win without coming back in Quebec in a major way.
Worst case Harper wins a majority
Dion has signalled that bill C-50 will not become law during this parliament as it is written so I am satisfied with that. I also don't think forcing an election out of nowhere is a good idea.
I didn't see Mr. Dion out in Vancouver talking to members of communities impacted by the immigration changes. He needs to realize what a tenuous hold we have on some of the "urban" ridings.
The message has to get out to the community, and my post was just a "shot across the bow". A warning, if you will, of what will happen if we don't appear to stand fast on this matter.
To be honest, I've been a "dove" on this matter for quite some time now (see past posts). There is a definite advantage in pacing it. This matter just hits a little closer to home than others...
As you probably know WG, I'm with you on this point. I think our party risks bleeding to death if we sit on our hands much longer. At some point Mr. Dion may have to realize that his ship isn't coming in, no matter how long he waits. Wish I didn't have to believe that - but I do.
Dion is a disaster, but I see no other option but to wait at least until after the policy convention in December. As for the immigration changes they are a whole lot of hot air. There is nothing new. Minister already had the power set quotas, to fast track etc.
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