-THAT COALITION THING: At the end of the day, Governor-General David Johnston will be hard-pressed to decline an opposition offer to form a two (or three) party coalition government if, as polls steadfastly suggest, another Conservative minority is elected on May second. In the early going, though the motive to take away as many seats as possible from the NDP and Bloc is strategic; Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is wrong to categorically rule-out a coalition. To their disadvantage, this issue is not going away, and will continue to haunt the Liberals right through the election campaign.
-A REFERENDUM ON LEADERSHIP: The election is an unprecedented fourth attempt by any Canadian national party leader to secure a majority number of seats in the House of Commons. It's testimony to Stephen Harper's tenacious iron-grip on his leadership of the Conservatives that he's still around considering just how we've gotten where we are: Though it can't be argued that Mr. Harper forced the first election as leader of the Reform/Alliance back in 2004...in 2005 it was Mr. Harper's own motion of non-confidence that upended the Paul Martin government, and in 2008 it was he who asked the Governor-General to dissolve Parliament on the eve of the "Great Recession", describing The House as dysfunctional. In this fourth go around Mr. Harper is the centrepiece of the campaign. - Winner to be declared by whichever of the main parties presents the most credible version of the "real" Stephen Harper.
- IT'S NOT A POLITICAL GAME: When his government collapsed on Friday last, Mr. Harper lamented from the foyer of the House of Commons that Canada's economy is not a political game. Of course he's right. That's why the Conservative strategy to paint themselves as guardian of Canada's economic strength will fail. Where it matters, in the world's economic markets - New York, London, Tokyo, Beijing...Hell! even in Toronto; global investors have far weightier issues on their minds than the outcome of yet another election in Canada. Three days into the campaign, Moody's Investors Services is already telling its significant players that any new budget, Conservative or Liberal, introduced after the election will continue to embrace the (national)..."consensus on the desirability of debt reduction." - Mr. Harper's Government in fact may be playing loose with some of it's own economic facts: Canada is NOT leading the global economic recovery. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says we're 10th amongst it's 17 member nations in 2010; and (to be fair) expected to move up to ninth by this year's end. Matter of fact, Australia and Sweden are at the top of the list.
As the saying (repeated ad nausea) goes - "In politics a week is an eternity" - Stay tuned?
Showing posts with label Governor-General. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Governor-General. Show all posts
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, September 26, 2010
ONE GREAT DISCONNECT
Despite the usual escalating tensions of a fall session in the House of Commons; and almost at the threshold of a fifth year of Minority Government, history is about to mark Prime Minister Stephen Harper's lasting legacy on our centuries' old democratic Parliamentary traditions.
Mr. Harper's first handpicked Governor-General, David Johnston, a Canadian most people have never heard of, will move into Rideau Hall at the end of the week. And, experts expect that early in December, the P.M.'s Conservative Party will claim a majority in Canada's Upper House, The Senate, for only the second time in three-quarters of a century. That's when the Prime-Minister will handpick two representatives to replace Liberal Senators Peter Stollery and Jean Lapointe who are reaching the mandatory age of retirement(75). Never mind that Mr. Harper as leader of the western based Alliance Party campaigned to abolish the institution...and later as Conservative leader, to at least reform the practice of the appointed sinecure: I digress.
All this at the same good time that evidence comes to light in the United-Kingdom that despite The Queen's reputation for frugality; she's been having a rough time making ends meet. Buckingham Palace has even explored using a government program there to subsidize heating costs for low-income Britons to help pay for heating the Royal residences.
The Queen's finances; somewhat like our Senate's as well as The Governor-General's (Her representative in Canada); have been controversial. But, as someone else put rather succinctly late last week - Once you're in the habit of spending the public's money as if it were your own; it's all too easy to forget whose money it really is.
Pending the next two Senate appointments in December; Mr. Harper has so far appointed 33 Senators since being elected in January 2006. Every one well politically connected and most appointed after Mr. Harper's Senate Reform plans appeared stalled after the fall 2008 general election and the Prorogation fiasco which followed. Though unrelated and to digress once more: It's nevertheless worth noting that the Governor-General has to consent to proroguing the House of Commons, and has the option instead of calling on an Opposition / Coalition to form the Government. Is it any wonder that living in the nation's capital city causes such political cynicism?
It now appears this new found Harper legacy consciousness may even extend to the world stage. The Prime-Minister who eschewed attendance at the opening of the United-Nations' General Assembly a year ago, favouring a photo-op at a Tim Horton's instead, has now turned-on the charm offensive to offset the international embarrassment which would be Canada's defeat by Portugal for a seat on the Security Council when that vote takes place October 12th.
Mandarins and officials at External Affairs have been warming the PMO for years that Mr. Harper's lackadaisical attitude towards the U.N. could cost the country one of two seats on the Security Council despite there being only 3 candidates in the running: Germany and Portugal being the other two - Well now, Germany is a shoe-in and Portugal may have the inner track. Canada is a founding member of the United-Nations and has held a two-year appointment to the Security-Council in each ensuing decade since the world organization was founded half-way through the last century...Losing-out to Portugal would be a massive psychological set-back for Canada's diplomatic relations as well as an international embarrassment. If resurrection were possible: Enough perhaps to raise former Prime-Minister Lester B. Pearson from the grave! Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for resolving the Suez Canal imbroglio. He's in company with Mother Teresa ('79); Lech Walesa ('83); Desmond Tutu ('84); The Dalai Lama ('89); Nelson Mandela ('93) and most recently: Barack Obama (2009) - Get the picture??
Selecting a Governor-General; creating a Conservative majority of partisans in our un-elected Senate; losing a rightful place as a founding member of the United-Nations: All worthy at least of an asterisk next to Mr. Harper's name in the history books.
Mr. Harper's first handpicked Governor-General, David Johnston, a Canadian most people have never heard of, will move into Rideau Hall at the end of the week. And, experts expect that early in December, the P.M.'s Conservative Party will claim a majority in Canada's Upper House, The Senate, for only the second time in three-quarters of a century. That's when the Prime-Minister will handpick two representatives to replace Liberal Senators Peter Stollery and Jean Lapointe who are reaching the mandatory age of retirement(75). Never mind that Mr. Harper as leader of the western based Alliance Party campaigned to abolish the institution...and later as Conservative leader, to at least reform the practice of the appointed sinecure: I digress.
All this at the same good time that evidence comes to light in the United-Kingdom that despite The Queen's reputation for frugality; she's been having a rough time making ends meet. Buckingham Palace has even explored using a government program there to subsidize heating costs for low-income Britons to help pay for heating the Royal residences.
The Queen's finances; somewhat like our Senate's as well as The Governor-General's (Her representative in Canada); have been controversial. But, as someone else put rather succinctly late last week - Once you're in the habit of spending the public's money as if it were your own; it's all too easy to forget whose money it really is.
Pending the next two Senate appointments in December; Mr. Harper has so far appointed 33 Senators since being elected in January 2006. Every one well politically connected and most appointed after Mr. Harper's Senate Reform plans appeared stalled after the fall 2008 general election and the Prorogation fiasco which followed. Though unrelated and to digress once more: It's nevertheless worth noting that the Governor-General has to consent to proroguing the House of Commons, and has the option instead of calling on an Opposition / Coalition to form the Government. Is it any wonder that living in the nation's capital city causes such political cynicism?
It now appears this new found Harper legacy consciousness may even extend to the world stage. The Prime-Minister who eschewed attendance at the opening of the United-Nations' General Assembly a year ago, favouring a photo-op at a Tim Horton's instead, has now turned-on the charm offensive to offset the international embarrassment which would be Canada's defeat by Portugal for a seat on the Security Council when that vote takes place October 12th.
Mandarins and officials at External Affairs have been warming the PMO for years that Mr. Harper's lackadaisical attitude towards the U.N. could cost the country one of two seats on the Security Council despite there being only 3 candidates in the running: Germany and Portugal being the other two - Well now, Germany is a shoe-in and Portugal may have the inner track. Canada is a founding member of the United-Nations and has held a two-year appointment to the Security-Council in each ensuing decade since the world organization was founded half-way through the last century...Losing-out to Portugal would be a massive psychological set-back for Canada's diplomatic relations as well as an international embarrassment. If resurrection were possible: Enough perhaps to raise former Prime-Minister Lester B. Pearson from the grave! Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for resolving the Suez Canal imbroglio. He's in company with Mother Teresa ('79); Lech Walesa ('83); Desmond Tutu ('84); The Dalai Lama ('89); Nelson Mandela ('93) and most recently: Barack Obama (2009) - Get the picture??
Selecting a Governor-General; creating a Conservative majority of partisans in our un-elected Senate; losing a rightful place as a founding member of the United-Nations: All worthy at least of an asterisk next to Mr. Harper's name in the history books.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
SUMMER OF DISCONTENT(?)
Well, it's called the "Liberal Express" and somewhere, somehow, it will be hitting a town, barbecue, pig roast, Rotary meeting near you any day now, and (apparently) until the end of August.
You may call it what you will; but the underlying message is: Forget Ignatieff: Vote Liberal! Though it's being billed as Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff's attempt to connect with Canadians, the real message may be: Look! He may be a weak leader, but we've got all these other great guys...and frankly folks, wouldn't you rather vote Liberal than give Stephen Harper the majority he doesn't deserve.
This is Mr. Ignatieff's third summer at defining himself to Canadians. He flamed-out as Pierre Trudeau incarnate in summer tour #1 three years ago. Who can forget (oops! Looks like we already have) Mr. Tough Guy of the Summer 2009 tour - "Mr. Harper, your time is up?". Summer 2010: Flavour? To be determined.
Meantime in the other camp: Let's see - "Fall Election Threats Follow Budget Bill Debate" screams the latest Canadian Press headline as the Tories threaten yet another fall election after Liberal Senators stripped provisions from the 2010 budget implementation bill. Somehow, shouldn't we be weary and bored of all this by now?
According to the latest EKOS poll, the Liberals have sunk in popularity to their lowest level in over a year. Respondents claim they'd vote 34% in favour of the Conservatives, compared with 24% for the Liberals if a Federal election were held this week. The Conservatives, specifically the Prime Minister, has / have been in the spotlight over the G-8 & G-20 Summits and the successful visit of The Queen on Canadian soil through the Canada Day celebrations. The even more recent confirmation of David Johnston as the next Governor General seems to be playing particularly well with the conservative masses - "Well, he's not from the CBC" - is apparently the general consensus. But; 34% popular vote is considerably short of the 40-plus percentile generally considered majority government territory.
Mr. Harper thus intends to spend his summer at the Gatineau Hills, Harrington Lake estate, official country residence of the nation's Prime-Minister. Senator Douglas Finley who is threatening a fall election over the Senate's debate of the Federal budget bill, is the Federal Conservative Party Campaign Director. Mr. Harper may be on "staycation" up at Harrington Lake, but never too far for a huddle (or two) with the Tory campaign managers who've already acknowledged..."The buses, the planes, the trains, the money, the boardroom - every thing's ready to rock and roll."
Can the Conservatives pull-off a "majority" win election this fall? It's already a given that Micheal Ignatieff is out unless the Liberals can extricate a quite unlikely winning rabbit out of their hat come the next general election. But, Harper's future may be no more assured, and hang squarely on a "majority" win. A fourth unsuccessful attempt could be mortally wounding to the Prime Minister's leadership and insider pressure to step aside difficult to ignore.
Within days of "mounting the throne" (as it were) come September, Governor-General David Johnston may just be asked, as was his predecessor in 2008, to dissolve Parliament and call Canadians to another unwanted General Election. As the Conservatives face the prospect of implementing massive Federal program cuts to rein-in their own unprecedented $60-Billion budget shortfall; it is the future of both major national party leaders which may be at stake.
You may call it what you will; but the underlying message is: Forget Ignatieff: Vote Liberal! Though it's being billed as Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff's attempt to connect with Canadians, the real message may be: Look! He may be a weak leader, but we've got all these other great guys...and frankly folks, wouldn't you rather vote Liberal than give Stephen Harper the majority he doesn't deserve.
This is Mr. Ignatieff's third summer at defining himself to Canadians. He flamed-out as Pierre Trudeau incarnate in summer tour #1 three years ago. Who can forget (oops! Looks like we already have) Mr. Tough Guy of the Summer 2009 tour - "Mr. Harper, your time is up?". Summer 2010: Flavour? To be determined.
Meantime in the other camp: Let's see - "Fall Election Threats Follow Budget Bill Debate" screams the latest Canadian Press headline as the Tories threaten yet another fall election after Liberal Senators stripped provisions from the 2010 budget implementation bill. Somehow, shouldn't we be weary and bored of all this by now?
According to the latest EKOS poll, the Liberals have sunk in popularity to their lowest level in over a year. Respondents claim they'd vote 34% in favour of the Conservatives, compared with 24% for the Liberals if a Federal election were held this week. The Conservatives, specifically the Prime Minister, has / have been in the spotlight over the G-8 & G-20 Summits and the successful visit of The Queen on Canadian soil through the Canada Day celebrations. The even more recent confirmation of David Johnston as the next Governor General seems to be playing particularly well with the conservative masses - "Well, he's not from the CBC" - is apparently the general consensus. But; 34% popular vote is considerably short of the 40-plus percentile generally considered majority government territory.
Mr. Harper thus intends to spend his summer at the Gatineau Hills, Harrington Lake estate, official country residence of the nation's Prime-Minister. Senator Douglas Finley who is threatening a fall election over the Senate's debate of the Federal budget bill, is the Federal Conservative Party Campaign Director. Mr. Harper may be on "staycation" up at Harrington Lake, but never too far for a huddle (or two) with the Tory campaign managers who've already acknowledged..."The buses, the planes, the trains, the money, the boardroom - every thing's ready to rock and roll."
Can the Conservatives pull-off a "majority" win election this fall? It's already a given that Micheal Ignatieff is out unless the Liberals can extricate a quite unlikely winning rabbit out of their hat come the next general election. But, Harper's future may be no more assured, and hang squarely on a "majority" win. A fourth unsuccessful attempt could be mortally wounding to the Prime Minister's leadership and insider pressure to step aside difficult to ignore.
Within days of "mounting the throne" (as it were) come September, Governor-General David Johnston may just be asked, as was his predecessor in 2008, to dissolve Parliament and call Canadians to another unwanted General Election. As the Conservatives face the prospect of implementing massive Federal program cuts to rein-in their own unprecedented $60-Billion budget shortfall; it is the future of both major national party leaders which may be at stake.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
WHITE ANGLO-SAXON MEN JUST WON'T DO!
I have writ, mused, speculated about this before: This long Easter weekend though it seems speculation is rife and makes it somewhat obvious that the Prime Minister's office is intent on floating one or two trial balloons on Harper's choices for future Governor-General.
Lest I digress; given the names floated some might be given to suggest they're closer to lead-balloons than trial balloons, I digress. Regardless, the genesis it seems lies somewhere in the entrails of a recent Angus-Reid poll which suggests close to 60% of Canadians are happy with the way Michaelle Jean has carried-out her Vice-Regal role since she was appointed by (then) Prime-Minister Paul Martin.
Though they are across the street neighbours on Ottawa's Sussex Drive, The Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, just gave the Governor-General a phone call in January to prorogue the House of Commons to re-calibrate his Government. Mme Jean has now twice sided with Harper on back-to-back "prorogation", but relations between the Queen's representative and the Prime Minister have been frosty all the way since Harper's minority Tories were elected in January 2006.
It's probably not all Mme Jean's fault: After all, she was appointed by a Liberal Prime-Minister. Way back then there were persistent rumours that her film-maker husband had been sympathetic to Quebec's "independantiste" movement; and (God Forbid!) she worked for the "lefties" at the CBC like her Jean Chretien anointed predecessor, Andrienne Clarkson. So...despite twice acquiescing to the Prime-Minister's delusional controversial prorogation of the House of Commons...Michealle Jean sealed her own fate on an extended Vice-Regal term by: (a) Stealing the media spotlight during Obama's February 09 Ottawa visit (b) describing herself (in a Paris speech) as Canada's de facto Queen (c) stealing the Harper spotlight in the aftermath of this year's earthquake in her native Haiti.
The result, as I have speculated previously (See: "When Just a Phone Call..." Jan, 2/10) is that Michaelle Jean is likely even to be denied a "last Hurrah": Presiding over "Canada Day" 2010 celebrations. - The Queen herself (at Mr. Harper's invitation) will be in Ottawa to do the honours on July first. Michaelle Jean's term in office as Governor-General ends early in September. But seems in spiteful finality, Mr. Harper's Conservatives will anoint her successor while The Queen is in Canada through late June and early July.
Thus this Easter weekend's trial balloons of potential candidates being floated through the Toronto Star and the Globe & Mail. Funny though that the Tories seem intent mostly on proposing white Anglo-Saxon males for the Vice-Regal post. Not that there's anything wrong with that. (I am one) But, haven't we moved beyond the point for the mostly ceremonial post of Governor-General?
It is the Prime Minister's prerogative to propose to The Queen whomever he wishes to name as Her representative in Canada. Maybe he wants someone closer to his own image? How else to explain the names bubbling near the speculative surface: Reform leader Preston Manning, hockey mouthpiece Don Cherry, ex-pat Wayne Gretzky, retired Defence Chief, John de Chastelain; and Mulroney-era confidant Senator Noel Kinsella?
Obviously, it's time for Michaelle Jean and her retinue to call-in the moving vans.
Lest I digress; given the names floated some might be given to suggest they're closer to lead-balloons than trial balloons, I digress. Regardless, the genesis it seems lies somewhere in the entrails of a recent Angus-Reid poll which suggests close to 60% of Canadians are happy with the way Michaelle Jean has carried-out her Vice-Regal role since she was appointed by (then) Prime-Minister Paul Martin.
Though they are across the street neighbours on Ottawa's Sussex Drive, The Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, just gave the Governor-General a phone call in January to prorogue the House of Commons to re-calibrate his Government. Mme Jean has now twice sided with Harper on back-to-back "prorogation", but relations between the Queen's representative and the Prime Minister have been frosty all the way since Harper's minority Tories were elected in January 2006.
It's probably not all Mme Jean's fault: After all, she was appointed by a Liberal Prime-Minister. Way back then there were persistent rumours that her film-maker husband had been sympathetic to Quebec's "independantiste" movement; and (God Forbid!) she worked for the "lefties" at the CBC like her Jean Chretien anointed predecessor, Andrienne Clarkson. So...despite twice acquiescing to the Prime-Minister's delusional controversial prorogation of the House of Commons...Michealle Jean sealed her own fate on an extended Vice-Regal term by: (a) Stealing the media spotlight during Obama's February 09 Ottawa visit (b) describing herself (in a Paris speech) as Canada's de facto Queen (c) stealing the Harper spotlight in the aftermath of this year's earthquake in her native Haiti.
The result, as I have speculated previously (See: "When Just a Phone Call..." Jan, 2/10) is that Michaelle Jean is likely even to be denied a "last Hurrah": Presiding over "Canada Day" 2010 celebrations. - The Queen herself (at Mr. Harper's invitation) will be in Ottawa to do the honours on July first. Michaelle Jean's term in office as Governor-General ends early in September. But seems in spiteful finality, Mr. Harper's Conservatives will anoint her successor while The Queen is in Canada through late June and early July.
Thus this Easter weekend's trial balloons of potential candidates being floated through the Toronto Star and the Globe & Mail. Funny though that the Tories seem intent mostly on proposing white Anglo-Saxon males for the Vice-Regal post. Not that there's anything wrong with that. (I am one) But, haven't we moved beyond the point for the mostly ceremonial post of Governor-General?
It is the Prime Minister's prerogative to propose to The Queen whomever he wishes to name as Her representative in Canada. Maybe he wants someone closer to his own image? How else to explain the names bubbling near the speculative surface: Reform leader Preston Manning, hockey mouthpiece Don Cherry, ex-pat Wayne Gretzky, retired Defence Chief, John de Chastelain; and Mulroney-era confidant Senator Noel Kinsella?
Obviously, it's time for Michaelle Jean and her retinue to call-in the moving vans.
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