NDP to try to topple government over climate change policies
The New Democrats will try to bring down the federal government on Friday by introducing a confidence motion criticizing the Conservatives' record on climate change.But the Liberals have already indicated they will not vote for the motion, meaning the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper will not fall.
The NDP will use their opposition day to say the House of Commons has lost confidence in the government for failing to live up to its international climate change agreements and refusing to adopt opposition-approved legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
One of the common criticisms the Liberals direct towards the NDP is that the Dippers have been too focused on the Liberals and not on the Conservatives. So here we have a motion designed to draw attention to the poor Conservative record on an issue that's important to large numbers of Canadians. And an issue I thought was important to Liberals. So what does the Liberal environment critic have to say?
Liberal environment critic David McGuinty said the NDP are just playing political games."In order to try to score cheap political points, the NDP are playing cheap mischievous games in the house with motions they know are not going to succeed."
Right. Cheap mischievous games. That would be as opposed to this.
At this point I really think a few Liberal backbenchers ought to hold McGuinty down and stuff a sock in his mouth.
Hat-tip to mahigan by email.
Well, to be fair, they're both playing parliamentary games. Unlike the Liberals' parliamentary games, though, the NDP's parliamentary games involve deeper political thought than just "whyyyy can't we have our power back nooooow?"
Well, to be fair, they're both playing parliamentary games.
Yeah. But the Liberals would be far better off here if they had stopped after Dion's response. Unfortunately McGuinty just couldn't help himself and now the Liberals look like whiny fools all over again.
It always kills me when the pols accuse each other of playing political games. Isn't that a little bit like the Flames accusing the Oilers of playing hockey?
Good line SOGuy.
It's plainly clear to everyone who is playing the games here. And I have to wonder who the Liberals think they are fooling, when sympathetic bloggers are announcing they no longer support the party.
I think sometimes that politicians, like established media figures, have trouble remembering that bloggers are actually real people who, you know, consume media and vote and everything. It's like they think there's no connection between what we write online and how we act in "real life."
You know what would be fun? If the Liberals planned to abstain, have the Tories quietly walk out of the House of Commons, leaving their leader behind to give their lone vote against this motion of non-confidence. Then, sit back and watch while the Liberals scramble back to their chairs to prop up the government and avoid an election.
Does anyone remember a Social Credit MP from Alberta, 1950s or early 1960s (first name may have been Bob), famous for his malapropisms and mixed metaphors ("You've buttered your bread; now lie in it"), one of whose more famous lines was "They're turning the House of Commons into a political arena!"
Bob Thompson? I know he's credited with: The Americans are our best friends, whether we like it or not.
"Then, sit back and watch while the Liberals scramble back to their chairs to prop up the government and avoid an election."
Awesome. Stephen Harper vs. the Liberal party. It would also confirm what we suspect, that the Conservative Party is actually the Stephen Harper Party.