Posted on 05/13/2005 8:08:24 AM PDT by GMMAC
It's down to playing the cancer card
Did the Liberals time a vote to coincide with Stinson's operation?
John Ivison
National Post
Friday, May 13, 2005
There was much bemusement at Stephen Harper's intemperate performance in front of the cameras on Wednesday, when the Conservative leader accused the Prime Minister of calling a non-confidence vote next week in the hope that the health of a couple of sick MPs would deteriorate in the interim.
"I must have missed the focus group which said white rage went down well with Canadians," said one Conservative.
With hindsight, though, the reasons for Harper's Mr. Furious routine may be more understandable. It emerged yesterday that Darrel Stinson, one of the Conservatives fighting cancer, has an operation scheduled for Wednesday and will miss the vote the following day. What enraged Harper was his belief that the Liberals knew about this and cynically exploited the information by calling the vote for a time when Stinson was unavailable.
One Conservative said the Liberals have been calling around in British Columbia seeking information on Stinson's treatment and that Albina Guarnieri, the Veterans Affairs Minister, raised the issue with Chuck Cadman, the Independent MP who is also fighting cancer. "Some of the more aggressive tactics used by Martin's people offend [Harper's] sense of fair play," the Conservative said.
For its part, Guarnieri's office denies even discussing Stinson's health with Cadman. But who out there believes that this Liberal government wouldn't boil their grannies down to make glue if it helped them stay in power?
Stinson's absence shifts the balance of power in the House of Commons significantly and makes an election much less likely. The Conservatives and Bloc can now muster only 152 MPs, while the Liberals and NDP have 150 and hope to count on at least two of the three Independent MPs. The Speaker, a Liberal, would break any tie.
While we've long known this government was unsporting, there is increasing evidence it is also unscrupulous. Aside from the suspicions surrounding Stinson's operation, Paul Martin yesterday rolled out his latest pre-election spending initiative: $170-million to send 100 Canadian technical and logistics personnel to Darfur in Sudan.
Martin gave the impression the money has long been in the pipeline, but this was contradicted by Justin Laku, an activist for a group called Canadian Friends of Sudan, who said he has been trying to raise the issue for months, to no avail. "This was all about Canadian politics and winning David Kilgour's vote," he said, referring to the Independent MP, who has championed the Darfur issue and whose support is crucial to the Liberals.
Ironically, Martin may not have done enough to appease Kilgour, who can scarcely be blamed for attempting to squeeze the Prime Minister 'til the pips squeak to benefit a cause he believes in. Martin attempted to incentivize the Edmonton MP by promising 100 soldiers, while Kilgour has called for 500 troops. He subsequently warned that the Liberals might not get his vote unless he sees more Canadians on the ground in Sudan.
All of which means the picture continues to be as ambiguous as a Jackson Pollock painting. As every scribbler and talking head has been saying for weeks, it may all come down to Chuck Cadman, who appeared to be preparing to vote with the government but now may be better disposed toward his former colleagues, the Conservatives.
The only thing that is clear is that the 38th Parliament has ceased to be, is bereft of life and has gone to meet its maker. The Conservatives and Bloc voted once again in favour of an adjournment yesterday -- a move they will surely repeat every day until next Thursday's vote.
Tony Valeri, the government House Leader, managed to keep a straight face in the foyer after the adjournment, telling reporters he rejected the idea that Parliament is paralyzed. This proved too much for CTV's Bob Fife, who couldn't help but point out: "Tony, Tony, wake up. The House isn't sitting."
Valeri was on firmer ground when he questioned whether Harper or the Bloc's Gilles Duceppe will respect next week's vote as final or whether they will continue to bring forward confidence votes if they are defeated. Let's hope we never find out -- partly because it would mean a government that doesn't deserve to remain in office has been brought to account, but mostly because Harper is liable to get really, really upset if he loses.
© National Post 2005
Have the Lib/Canucks been studying the SLEAZY tactics of our very own(and MUCH DESPISED)DemonRats,or vice-versa?
They're using the cancer card because they know if they play the war card (like BC did during Lewinskigate) they'd be laughed at.
RIGHT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!
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