Canadian politicians jostle one another to lead as
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:27 amCanadian politicians jostle one another to lead as
« Thread Started on Dec 3, 2008, 8:31pm »
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Canadian politicians jostle one another to lead as economy sours
Posted: 08:40 PM ET
(CNN) — Prime Minister Stephen Harper appealed directly to Canadians for support Wednesday, vowing in a nationally televised address that he will do all he can to halt his opponents from carrying out a no-confidence vote in Parliament — as planned for Monday — and forming a coalition government that would replace his own.
“Unfortunately, even before the government has brought forward its budget, and only seven weeks after a general election, the opposition wants to overturn the results of that election,” said the prime minister, whose Conservative Party strengthened its minority position in federal elections on October 14.
The Liberal Party, which lost seats in the October vote, and the leftist New Democratic Party announced plans earlier this week to form a governing coalition with the support of the Bloc Quebecois, which supports independence for French-speaking Quebec.
In a televised address that followed Harper’s, opposition Liberal leader Stephane Dion called for a vote of confidence.
He said he had asked Canada’s Governor-General Michaelle Jean — the acting head of state who would call for a new election or a confidence vote — “to refuse any request by the prime minister to suspend Parliament until he has demonstrated to her that he still commands the confidence of the house.”
He said he and Jack Layton, head of the New Democratic Party, had agreed to form a coalition government to address the economic crisis, and that the Green Party supported it too.
« Thread Started on Dec 3, 2008, 8:31pm »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Canadian politicians jostle one another to lead as economy sours
Posted: 08:40 PM ET
(CNN) — Prime Minister Stephen Harper appealed directly to Canadians for support Wednesday, vowing in a nationally televised address that he will do all he can to halt his opponents from carrying out a no-confidence vote in Parliament — as planned for Monday — and forming a coalition government that would replace his own.
“Unfortunately, even before the government has brought forward its budget, and only seven weeks after a general election, the opposition wants to overturn the results of that election,” said the prime minister, whose Conservative Party strengthened its minority position in federal elections on October 14.
The Liberal Party, which lost seats in the October vote, and the leftist New Democratic Party announced plans earlier this week to form a governing coalition with the support of the Bloc Quebecois, which supports independence for French-speaking Quebec.
In a televised address that followed Harper’s, opposition Liberal leader Stephane Dion called for a vote of confidence.
He said he had asked Canada’s Governor-General Michaelle Jean — the acting head of state who would call for a new election or a confidence vote — “to refuse any request by the prime minister to suspend Parliament until he has demonstrated to her that he still commands the confidence of the house.”
He said he and Jack Layton, head of the New Democratic Party, had agreed to form a coalition government to address the economic crisis, and that the Green Party supported it too.