Harper’s Follies
December 3, 2008 8:05 am Canadian PoliticsCanada’s chess-playing prime minister, Stephen Harper, appears to be a patzer given his recent play. His strategy is akin to bringing out the queen early in play and checking the opposing king. Although Harper’s plan to remove public financing of political parties is a good idea, it is one that he should have delayed till he had a better position, i.e. a majority in parliament.
Harper also seems to have forgotten a key concept that self-preservation is the primary goal of any entity. How exactly did he expect Bloc to react when their only source for campaign funds was about to be cut off? Did he really expect that the Liberal party, which is on the ropes financially, would quietly fade away? What did he expect NDP to do, given their fondness for handouts with no strings attached?
He seems to be compounding the problem with an attempt to prorogue the parliament. The strategy in this case appears to be to go on a public relations offensive and highlight the inclusion of separatist Bloc in the coalition, as well as the “unfairness” given the election results. This strategy is profoundly wrong, because it is an attempt to shame and embarrass the coalition partners. Harper seems to be forgetting that politicians, especially those belonging to the Liberal party, are beyond all this and cannot be shamed or embarrassed.
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Arran Gold
Brian :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 8:31 AM
You can hardly blame the guy for feeling a bit paranoid. I mean look at the last election , damn near every MSM media outlet was cheering for Dion , irrespective of the fact Dion had a useless plan and was a total klutz !
No matter what Harper did the MSM was always waiting for the slightest slip from anyone in the Tory caucus.
He should have put the issue of public funding of political parties to a referendum. That way he could not have been attacked by the Opposition … the people of Canada would have voted whether they approve of funding the BQ 86% of their budget !
PM Harper could have sat back and watched the Opposition squirm trying to paint it as undemocratic !
Calgary Junkie :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 9:19 AM
You’re way too premature in your analysis.
What if the coalition falls apart in the next couple of days ?
Or, even if that doesn’t happen, let’s fast forward to the Jan 27th budget. If that budget falls, Harper
has a much stronger case to make to the GG that we need an election. The three stooges understand that, which is why they wanted to vote non-confidence after 2 months rather than 4 month.
OK, do the BLOC MPs, some who will receive a lifetime pension after being elected for 6 years, will want to campaign again, with a lot less money for the campaign. Remember, the $1.95 per vote is paid out in quartely instllments … Jan 1, Apr 1, etc.
You gotta wait, bud. Harper’s move was a double-edged sword. We have only seen one side of that sword used (only as spin) against us now. Harper will use the other side at a later date, to much greater electoral effect.
Brian :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 9:27 AM
Agreed … WAY too premature !!!
Listen to Charles Adler
http://www.cjob.com/StationShared/AdlerOnline.aspx
click on :
James Moore talks Coalition
… Dion and Layton will need to eat a lot of crow over this !
glacialgal :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 9:33 AM
Stop mistaking “bullying” for strong leadership which is what PM Harper has been doing! I agree totally with cutting funding to these welfare-state political parties. Raise your own damn funds!
Pete :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 9:45 AM
Wrong, Harper had info that a hi-JACK was in advanced stages. Was it true? He tossed out the campaign financing ‘grenade’ to see if it were true. Well, now we know. This was a premptive strike that we can all be grateful for. Most of the cards of the Coalition are now on the table. Sure he added the accelerant but the ‘fix was in’ and he exposed it for what it is…a coalition with the separatists in the driving seat.
Alberta Girl :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 9:58 AM
I am saddened to see the number of so called Conservative supporters buying into the nonsense that somehow this is all Stephen Harper’s fault.
How could something that is being proven was in the works since before the election and therefore was inevitable; be his fault.
If he had not called them on it; they would have continued planning and lie in wait until it was not possible to trace back to what this is really all about – how much they all Hate Stephen Harper.
The fact that Harper called them on it, has woken up this country to the real “hidden agenda” of the three opposition parties.
Calgary Junkie :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 10:02 AM
I agree with Pete.
I suspect Harper’s spies told him about the Layton/Duceppe talks in advance. So if Harper KNEW the fix was in, then of course he would play this poison pill NOW, while he has a chance. Everybody now knows its about the entitlements. Especially after Harper (still part of his strategy) WITHDRAWS the posion pill. But the 3 stooges still barge ahead ??? Talk about overkill.
Look, we all get it that these guys hate Harper. But deal with it in a more constructive way. Harper is using that irrational hatred to his advantage. This could easily be the beginning of the end of the LPC (final stake in their heart after next general election).
Lewis :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 10:24 AM
The three opposition parties were upset over the prospect of losing their federal subsidy, albeit not until April or May 2009.
Contrast this with Alberta when the premier of the day Mr. Klein, when faced with the need for fiscal belt tightening, his first move was to cut ALL MPs salaries. Barely a whimper was heard.
Mr. Harper was a little too autocratic and did not listen close enough to people on the street. IE with a minority government, do not take unpopular measures particularly near election time. The ‘fixed date election’ legislation is a good move for democracy BUT he did not include a proviso that it be only in-effect during the term of a majority government. These mistakes do not take away from the fact that he had a very efficient and effective government who made many positive changes.
Our children will be much better off with the record 40 billion dollar debt reduction that was made in a mere two and one half years.
Alberta Girl has it right
GrantK1 :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 11:00 AM
Barrel you seem to be behind a little in your information. PMSH knew 3 days after the election his government was going to get toppled. He just decided he was going to pick the date. By setting the trap and then adding the cheese he knew the 3 stooges were going to walk right into it. He did it with great policy and bad politics. I’m not too sure I appreciate the fact he’s gambling this way with my future but he exposed the opposition for what they exactly are: socialist, separatist scumbags willing to sell their country for the ultimate price of power.
wilson :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 11:37 AM
And remember, there was not just one poision pill, there were 3, that was his insurance that the unions and feminists would FORCE the coalition out.
Poison pills:
-party financing (party)
-right to strike (union)
-pay equity litigation (feminists)
wilson :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 11:44 AM
-Mulcair and Duceppe meet Oct 17, 2008
-Dion refuses to step down for 7 months
-Libloggers mention ’something big happening’, start contacting each other by e-mail (a Con amongst them?)
-tape reveals Mulcair has Duceppe sign on ‘long’ before the economic statement
Calgary Junkie :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 11:46 AM
I would think Union members WOULDN’T WANT the right to strike.
Think about it … If they strike, in these times of layoffs, they will get NO public sympathy.
Harper will let them walk the picket lines as long as they want, while management does their “work”. It’s mostly paper pushing, computer generated checks. It’s not like civic unions that pick up garbage, shovel snow off the road and such.
All the money Harper saves will build up the surplus.
Karol :
Date: December 3, 2008 @ 3:07 PM
Arran,
You are misreading whole situation. This whole crisis is a pre-emptive war.