Liberal infighting forces Dion to cancel trip

Dion -- who hasn't made a public appearance yet this week -- was to travel Wednesday night to the North. He was to spend three days in Yellowknife and make some stops in Nunavut.

However, the party announced the trip had been cancelled.

"The Liberals are now dealing with some eruptions in Quebec that are based on the poor results they had in the Quebec byelections a couple of weeks ago," Jane Taber, senior political writer with The Globe and Mail and co-host of CTV's Question Period, told Canada AM on Thursday.

"This turmoil is just keeping Stephane Dion focused and in his office in Ottawa. He's planning a shuffle of his critics and he's trying to deal with this situation in Quebec by bringing in more Quebecers into top positions in his party and his office.

"So this would be a time when they are vulnerable, and perhaps the prime minister is thinking they should go now."

Prime Minister Stephen Harper held a news conference in the National Press Theatre on Wednesday, the first there since he came to power in early 2006.

Harper said if the opposition parties pass his Conservative government's throne speech, to be delivered on Oct. 16, they should consider themselves bound to support the government's overall legislative agenda.

He said more bills will be made matters of confidence, increasing the number of opportunities for his government to fall and an election to be triggered.

Canadians last went to the polls on Jan. 23, 2006. Harper said he wants to govern until October 2009 -- an election date set out in a law enacted this spring.

"Obviously, if we don't get approval, the opposition will force an election. That's not my preferred course of action, but if they force that, we'll be ready for it," Harper said.

"It's not a matter of threats. They have to fish or cut bait."

NDP Leader Jack Layton has said his party will not support the throne speech. Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe has laid out five conditions for throne speech support that the Tories would find unpalatable.

However, all three opposition parties must vote down the throne speech to trigger the government's collapse.

The Liberals want an early 2009 exit date from Canada's combat role in Afghanistan, the resurrection of clean-air legislation that died in the last session of Parliament, and an anti-poverty plan.

Harper sounded Wednesday like he wasn't amenable to an early Afghanistan withdrawal.

"... We think we have a moral responsibility there. It's not just a matter of playing to the polls," he said.

Harper talked earlier this year about parliamentary consensus on the mission's extension. Canada's combat role, unless renewed, will end in February 2009.

"In retrospect, the choice of the word 'consensus' was wrong. I didn't mean to imply that we would get every party on side," he said. "I simply meant to say that the government can't obviously assure a majority vote on its own. We have to have the support of some members of the opposition to get a majority vote in favour of deployment."

The prime minister said he was prepared to fight an election over the issue.

"When it comes to matters of global security or leadership of a military deployment, I believe strongly that anyone who wants to possess the office of prime minister has to be prepared to make decisions based upon the long-term best interests of the country; based upon whether we fulfil our responsibilities to the poor people of Kandahar, whose security we have accepted to take care of at least in a transition period," he said.

Hopefully any future Parliamentary debate will look at more than whether Canadian troops should stay or go, Harper said.

Comments are now closed for this story

Terry N
said

What harm is Mr. Dion going to do to healthcare? What terrorism is he going to invite?
I have no doubt that Mr. Dion will see through the fog, whereas our current leadership is barely aware of it, even on a good day.
Even though it may "feel good" in the short term, simplistic leadership isn't good enough, unless we are looking to go backward, but, fortunately, as conservatives often tell us, "Things change."
Resilience will ensure Mr. Dion's day in the sun ... and I don't think he'll stop at Prime Minister of Canada.

Rick
said

Don't be sure that an election will result in a Conservative majority. With all the Liberal parties problems and a leader that hasn't shown us much the Conservatives can't poll any better than the Liberals. Could this be that Harper doesn't appeal to enough Canadians to form a majority?

Scott
said

Once again, proof that Ontario voters are the dumbest voters on the planet. Ontario props up these dead-end Liberals and what does Dion do? Starts adding more Quebecers. I think it's now official that every party in Canada has completely ignored Ontario simply because they are too stupid to vote anything other than Liberal. Not that I'm complaining though, I'm from Quebec.

Realist
said

Reader GG sums up the problems within the Liberal party very well. Liberal party doesn't even recogniize they have a problem, all they can see is Canada's New Government enjoying a free ride, without credible opposition.

When asked to comment on their party, per this topic on CTV, what is Liberal response? Harper has secret agenda and the moon is made of green cheese?

Po
said

People saying that the Conservatives are the new alternative for federalists in Quebec are deluding themselves... historicallty Quebeckers are a left-leaning province. So what makes you think they would vote for a very right-wing Conservative? Conservatives will never win over Quebec, if anything, they will be the cause of the next referendum.

Bruce
said

To all of those who keep citing "the polls", please recall the last election where former PM Martin declared that the Liberals would win the largest majority in Canadian history, according to the polls. You know what dogs do to polls?

Jonathan Veale
said

Enough of this "we'll bring down the government" rhetoric. Parliament should be forced to operate until the fixed election date. Then MPs can vote for the best interests of the country, not for political gains. We've spoken, and a minority government is what was decided. Deal with it.

Bill
said

I believe one thing that is becoming apparent in the last 18 months or so, is that Canada is not near as much a liberal/Liberal country as the media and the socialists would have us believe. I have never seen so many expressions of pride of being a Canadian, proud of their country or even pride in their prime minister as I have seen the last few months. I think a lot of people must have got tired of the bafflegab from the last couple of liberal prime ministers of speaking in circles, trying to be a little something to everyone and trying to offend no one. The only time they took a stand was to be anti-American because they thought it was good politics back home. It is a refreshing change. If the conservative party had not been split in two there would have been no cake walk for Monsieur Chretien for 3 elections. Now it is the left's time to be split up.

Scott
said

Harper's hate ads against Dion has brought this about. Yeah, Republican politics. Now all we need is people like O'Reilly, Limbaugh and Beck. No wait, the reformers have Flanagan.

tom
said

The Liberals are broke, leaderless, and losing. That is why they cancelled their trip north. They simply can't afford to pay their own bills. They can't survive without spending (and wasting) taxpayers dollars.

Michael
said

Why does Harper keep assuming that he can "designate" what is a confidence motion? It is not up to him, it is parliamentary tradition that certain things are or aren't. The Gov Gen does not have to abide by his "decision" and could ask another party to form the government.

GG
said

I am not sure how setting up a defeat of their own government forces the opposition to trigger the election. Canadians aren't that stupid. We see it for what it truly is. It is obvious Harper is manufacturing this situation because he feels this is one and only opportunity to try for a majority. Here is the risk...have Canadians realize who is masterminding the triggering of an election and then the risk that Canadians would prefer anything but a Conservative majority and would strategically vote Liberal even though there is disconcern with Dion's leadership. If the election turns out a minority government as the polls would indicate who ends up being the loser ? It would certainly give the Libs an opportunity to get Dion out if the Conservatives maintain a minority government again. Canadians do not like far right wingers like the Reform/Alliance..that is where Harper and his MP's come from. A leopard cannot change their spots..though they can try and disguise them for awhile. Canadians are brighter than he gives them credit for. Why do you think the Conservatives have not made any progress in almost 2 years at the helm. I think Dion should vote against the throne speech if Harper has not addressed the key issues Canadians have constantly told this government. The Afghanistan and the climate change/environment are a major divergence between the Conservatives and the other parties. I am not sure any of the 70 % who didnt vote for Harper last time will this time. Once the flip flop and track record of misdirections are exposed again back to minds of Canadians..do we all remember income trusts ?? and a bunch of others..Canadians will vote against the Cons. Besides Canadians dont trust leopards.

Alan
said

JG

I believe politics aren't as top-of-mind for most in Ontario (particularly the urnban centres) as in the rest of Canada.

But, if Torontonians are serious about ensuring federal participation in infrastructure and services they better get some Conservatives in Ottawa and they better get a message to Mayor Miller to stop the relentless left-wing negative spin.

In spite of hostility consider the many ways Harper's government has provided funding to forward thinking Toronto-building vs. the Liberal pork-barreling of the past. Consider also - apart from talk, what has McGuinty done for Toronto except blame everyone else for his inaction.

I suspect, Torontonians and Ontarians will wake up when the next election rolls around. We're not stupid, just preoccupied and doused with left-wing over-spin!!!

Ed
said

DD

It's probably a stretch and asking too much of a Liberal-minded blogger, but has it dawned on you that we're not hearing about problems in Conservative ranks: a) because there aren't serious problems in the Conservative party (pretty normal when you are in the driver's seat), and b) the problems in the Liberal party are SO significant and deep that there isn't airspace for any other infighting news (e.g., Bloc).

Hey - maybe it's a whole new Liberal strategy for monopolizing messaging through the media and we just understand the Dion's master plan!

Ah... no. Libs are in disarray. Accept it DD.

GW
said

Mr. Dion is a good guy and it’s a shame he doesn’t have more quality people to work with. He has some but there are so many old Rats in his cupboards.

The Liberal party needs pest control and the Canadian voter is the exterminator hired to do the job.

Because the Liberal party has such deep roots in Canada it is unlikely they will get the same treatment the PC’s did in the 90’s but a similar process will be good for the party in the long term.

With the BQ in the game and the rebuilt PC’s, Harper may indeed be correct when he says we’re entering an age of minority governments. This will be tested in the next election. With the problems the Liberals are having the PC’s have their best possible shot at a majority we’re likely going to see for a while.

Wayne
said

I have never been as impressed with a leader in Canada as I am with Harper of late. He has shown time and again those qualities that a real leader must have. He has my vote and I am a Liberal as of this moment I am cancelling my liberal membership and signing up with the conservative party. I was one of his loudest critics when he first sat in the PM's chair but am now convinced that there really is no other leader or party that can handle the realities of Canadian politics like he can. I especially enjoyed his turning of the tables on the opposition by making elements of his upcoming throne speech confidence motions, this is brilliant!

Shawn
said

Th Tories hit the nail on the head. This guy just simply isn't a leader, and I could never vote Liberal with this guy in charge. Harper has done a good job and he'll be getting my vote next time around.

gord
said

With all due respect to Mr Dion he is in charge of a ship with no rudder. The people of Quebec are sick & tired of the Liberals. He simply cannot speak English well enough to have any appeal in any province outside of Quebec. One has to wonder why at the last convention the Liberals would elect a leader who cannot speak English, that is absolutely amazing. Are there not Liberals in any other part of Canada that could be the leader... why do Liberal leaders all come from Quebec??

JG
said

Re: DD's comment

I think the Consveratives are wise to say little if any problems exist - why fuel the press with more stuff to 'spin'?

bruce whitaker
said

Can someone shed light on why the Tories continue to do poorly in Ontario (trailing the Liberals by 6% in the most recent poll).

I live in Toronto and have decided to support the Tories in the next election after years of being a Liberal and Green supporter. I'm just so pleased to see a strong leader and a government without scandal. Harper has really surprised me with his competence.

Wendat
said

That's right DD, Harper and the conservatives'
hidden agenda thing again. What's his hidden agenda? Oh yeah, look out for the best interests of Canada and fiscal responsibility. Ooooooooo...that is one scary hidden agenda.

shamaro
said

Could you imagine if the Liberals went into a Federal election in the state they're in? And could you imagine if the country voted them in to form the next government? Canada would become a nation whose government is impotent. Mr Dion obviously was a leader in which the Liberals wanted and got. So, why all the infighting?

Gary B
said

Dion must stick to his principles (whatever they may be when the throne speech is delivered). I suspect there will be many absentees on the Liberal benches that day. Also, should the government fall, Ian, that is constitutional and voting is a RIGHT in Canada. Use it!

Genius
said

Conservative majority is on the way in!!!

Lart from Above
said

In a minority parliament, legislation requires a majority of members to be passed. If Harper keeps going on about his "mandate to govern" without a workable majority, bills are not going to pass, and if that means confidence votes and elections, that's the Conservatives problem.

Derricke e
said

Dion has no chance to win an election, so he knows if he votes against Harper, he'll only lose the election(and Canadians will not be happy that we spent millions of dollars just to give parliament the SAME answer we did last time). Let Harper do his job. As long as he has a minority, he's running a fairly moderate government, and his strategic brilliance shines through once again. He's a sound and thoughtful leader, a cold and somewhat awkward intellectual, but an effective one (as long as he doesn't have the power to privatize health care or pass anything too socially far right wing) - I'm not even sure he's interested in passing far right wing laws anymore. His chance in the Prime Minister's seat( and his strategic realization that moderation is necessary to be elected) has cooled him to traditionally far right Canadian Alliance views.

Daniel
said

In response to DD:

We've heard all about the various conservative parties and their problems, time and time again, over the years. Heck, your little quip about "Reform...er...Conservatives" harkens back to a time when party divisions were so out-in-the-open on the conservative side of politics that a new party was actually created. Historically, it's been the Liberals who have had taken the "tight-lipped, tight ship" approach to running things. Yes, the Conservatives have learned how to be as slick and secretive as the Liberals once were, while the Liberals are as openly divided as the Conservatives once were. Seems to me that, the more secretive and sly a party is, the better chance they have at being elected (Jean Chretien and Brian Mulroney could attest to that, I'm sure).

Dave
said

Harper is conveniently blaming the opposition for HIS party's follies. It is Harper's pig-headed approach to politics and his unwillingness to bend on any issue that is going to force the opposition parties to vote against his throne speech, which never should have taken place to begin with! Who does he think he is, proroguing parliament when it suits him? The throne speech is supposed to be in the SPRING. Harper just needs to kick his opponent while they are down because he knows he will never have a majority government in this country.

Sheila
said

Hilarious!

Politics has not been this entertaining in many, many years. What will the Liberals do next? Excellent slapstick comedy.

Dennis LeDrew
said

This idea about Liberals (or any Party) abstaining from confidence votes is frustrating and disturbing. How is the will of the people reflected in Parliament in this manner?

And thus it is now clear that Parliament is unable to function properly because the Official Opposition Liberal Party cannot get its own act together. They are more concerned over their fear of an election then they are standing by their own principles and voting to support or defeat this Government on its merits or shortcomings.

And that is the reason why this Government should now be going to the people as soon as possible to seek a new mandate, hopefully a majority. Canada needs strong and decisive leadership. And quite clearly from all indicactions, the Liberals are NOT it.

Given the turmoil within the Liberal Party, there is no reason why the Conservatives should not be given that majority mandate; given their preformance, in a minority Government no less. The Liberals by contrast cannot even control what is going on in their own Party. As such, they cannot function as an affective Opposition, let alone govern Canada.

Jonny
said

At least the Liberals have proper integrity ... unlike the Bloc which voted in favour of budget cuts to the status of women etc. Let's see who buckles this time around.

DougD
said

A fall election would set the Libs & BQ back a decade, politically & financially. Unfortunately, I am sure we will see numerous cases of the left wing flu in the days following Oct. 16.

Jon
said

@DD

i can't follow the leap of logic whereby an organization being non-dysfunctional and non-imploding, infers that it should have something to fear because of it. and like the fiberals want their laundry in the open? the general public sees through their facade now. please spin me some more lies and fairy tales

TG Northern Ontario
said

Is it not enough that Dion is from Quebec? There are plenty of high ranking Quebecois already in key positions,ie: Lucienne Robillard, Marcel Proulx, Celine Hervieux-Payette, Denis Coderre etc. What the Liberals need is some more from the west. Instead of being a Ontario/Quebec party, they should try to be a national party.

ED VIRTUAL
said

Dion is facing a crisis leading his Liberal Pary in my opinion. How is this guy expected to lead a country?

Wally
said

Terribly sad that the Tories under Harper have only the worst functioning Liberals ever to thank for their marginal good hopes about an election. Pathetic, this country has become. All around. From these posts to the PM!!

Don J
said

Seriously, these people holding Dion back from his travels with their public, childish infighting should lose their place during the next election, and if they're not elected positions, should lose their jobs now. This kind of behaviour is reprehensible and it doesn't show Dion's lack of leadership, it shows the other members' lack of maturity and grudge-bearing that Dion WON.

Greg
said

Yes, DD, the hidden agenda, right? I think that tired card expired a couple of years ago. The Liberals have nowhere to go but down, and the Conservatives have nowhere to go but up. Iz not fair, is it?

Michele
said

I do find it interesting that with the problems the Liberals are having they are only behind by 2%.

"The Liberals actually lead the Tories in the three largest provinces, throughout Atlantic Canada, and among women and younger voters".

"The Conservatives hold commanding leads in the prairies, among voters over age 50, among those who earn over $100,000 and among men"

With all the problems the Liberals seem to be having one would think the Conservatives would be in majority territory. This speaks volumes to me.

I will not be voting in the next election as I do not agree with a system that gives so much power to political parties. They form policies to benefit their party - like whipping the caucus to vote the party line. To me this is not democracy.

Mike M
said

For DD

What they are "afraid of" is a liberal biased media that spins everything they do, no matter how small or benign into some great evil deed masked by an imaginary hidden agenda.

Roch
said

Why does Stephane Dion think hiring more Quebecers will solve his problems? He SHOULD be hiring more Chinese, after their party director's disparaging remarks towards our Chinese citizens. Why must the Liberals continue to insult Chinese-Canadians?

This also is a slight on the Aborginal peoples of the north which won't be forgotten for a long time. They are not expendable people whom you can cancel your trip for to annnounce hiring of some Quebecers to apparently magically save the Party.

DD
said

At least we hear about problems within the party.

The Reform...er...Conservatives have everything so tightly zipped up that we hear nothing. Gotta wonder what they're afraid of.

FP
said

Now the snobby Liberals know what it is like to drop out of favour. I feel sorry for Mr. Dion (although I would not vote for him) he is an academic among a pack of hungry crooks who have only their own self interests in mind. Mr. Harper is proving to be a tactical, meaningful leader and one that Canada needs for the future. He certainly has my support.

Allan M
said

While I'm not the biggest Liberal fan, I think it's clear that the Liberal Party to pull itself together, and hit the ground running into an election. Money problems or not, it's time to stop fighting each other and focus on defeating Harper.

Ashley
said

Continued political wrangling will cause the government to fall this Fall. One way or another a "consensus" will be reached and hopefully the Liberals will get a taste of 1993. We can only hope anyway.

Ian
said

I'm not voting for anyone anymore. If all everyone is going to do is have an election and keep ending parliament and spending billions of dollars on elections then I’m not taking any part of this.

Greg H
said

Looking good for Harper!
Nothing's changed in the Liberal party.
They think they can run the country, but cannot function as a party.

Ryan
said

When Dion has to start canceling trips because his party is in such disarray you know he is in trouble.
The Liberals are guaranteed to back the Throne Speech now. Dion couldn't go to an election if he wanted to. You can't have an election campaign where the leader can't go anywhere for fear of a party revolt in some part of the country.
He is doomed, chalk up another Liberal Leader. I hear another convention around the corner.

Mike
said

All parties better look at supporting the Throne Speech. Another election could result in another minority government, then what?

Ryan
said

Simply bringing in more Quebec members into his shadow cabinet will not increase his popularity there or even stabalize the situation.
The simple fact is that the Federal Liberals no longer have a message that Quebecers will buy. The Conervatives' soft federalism works for Quebec.
Dion is the wrong guy at the wrong time. Simple as that.

Gregory Boudreau
said

I think Mr.Dion is in a tight spot, I don't think he will bring the gov't down, with the showing of his party in Quebec. The time is not right for the Liberal party, that is why Prime Minister Harper is daring anyone to force an election, I think it will play into Mr. Harper's hand.