Intersting article here I will note the following paragraph,
...For example, some think the Prime Minister might want to reiterate his promise to get rid of the Canadian Wheat Board,...
Given that the Liberals are in such difficulty, they're not likely to vote against the Throne Speech, and the previously mentioned policies could get through.
As someone said here recently,
Nows the the time to lobby the feds like the farm depends on it.
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Harper unlikely to take hard-right turn
Opportunity is there, but taking it would risk the support he has just won in Quebec
BRIAN LAGHI
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
September 19, 2007 at 4:58 AM EDT
The conservative core that underpins Stephen Harper's minority government will no doubt see an opportunity in Monday's Quebec by-election results to take a hard-right turn. But it's an opening that the Prime Minister appears ready to resist.
With a Speech from the Throne coming next month, the thinking goes that the battered Liberals and Bloc Québécois won't dare bring down the Tories after getting badly beaten in two of their heartland ridings, so there's an opportunity for the Prime Minister to shove a little conservative dogma down the opposition's throat.
The problem with that notion is that the Tories won the riding of Roberval-Lac-Saint-Jean and came a solid second in Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot by doing exactly the opposite. To tack back now would only risk unravelling much of the work Mr. Harper has done in moderating policies on Afghanistan, the environment and others that Quebeckers have demanded be tempered.
"When Mr. Harper went into Quebec in his by-election sorties, he didn't mention Afghanistan, he didn't mention Kyoto," said Peter Donolo of the Strategic Counsel. "Instead he focused on the openness to Quebec and the fiscal imbalance that brought him dividends."
Calls for Liberal shakeup dog Dion
Since the by-elections were called, the Prime Minister and members of his government have dropped several hints that the Canadian combat presence in Kandahar will likely come to an end by 2009. He also used the recent APEC summit in Australia to style himself a protector of the environment.
A good example of the difficulties of Mr. Harper's previous approach can be found in the loss of another by-election one year ago. In London North Centre, the party handpicked a strong right-wing candidate in an effort to energize its core, thinking that a high turnout of its foundation voters would win the seat. The move backfired, as candidate Diane Haskett ended up polarizing an electorate that had already been asking questions about Mr. Harper's environmental policies.
The approach to the Quebec by-elections suggests Mr. Harper has learned his lesson.
Moreover, sources close to the Prime Minister say the Throne Speech is very close to being written and they don't expect Mr. Harper will make an effort to include anything that would bring about his government's defeat.
But given that the Tories have now won a key Quebec by-election and done well in another, there are those who will be tempted to develop a speech that gets back to basics. For example, some think the Prime Minister might want to reiterate his promise to get rid of the Canadian Wheat Board, or cement the plan to ditch the long-gun registry.
Given that the Liberals are in such difficulty, they're not likely to vote against the Throne Speech, and the previously mentioned policies could get through.
The problem, of course, is if something like opposing greater gun control was unpopular before, it's likely to continue to be unpopular. Pushing such a policy through Parliament may only be a win for the hard right and might offend those Canadians in the centre of the political spectrum, some of whom made up the voting group that won Roberval for the party.
"I don't think it's smart politics in Quebec," Mr. Donolo said.
This is not to say that all small-c conservative policies are political losers. Indeed, toughening up the justice system and cutting taxes are both ideas that would probably find favour with voters, Mr. Donolo says. These notions could find their way into the speech and, as far as the Conservative Party popularity goes, they probably should.
But, beyond those areas of strong resonance, Mr. Harper probably wants to continue the slow-and-steady building program that has, bit by bit, made Canadian voters more comfortable with him, rather than resurrect their suspicions by moving back to the right.
...For example, some think the Prime Minister might want to reiterate his promise to get rid of the Canadian Wheat Board,...
Given that the Liberals are in such difficulty, they're not likely to vote against the Throne Speech, and the previously mentioned policies could get through.
As someone said here recently,
Nows the the time to lobby the feds like the farm depends on it.
------------------------------------
Harper unlikely to take hard-right turn
Opportunity is there, but taking it would risk the support he has just won in Quebec
BRIAN LAGHI
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
September 19, 2007 at 4:58 AM EDT
The conservative core that underpins Stephen Harper's minority government will no doubt see an opportunity in Monday's Quebec by-election results to take a hard-right turn. But it's an opening that the Prime Minister appears ready to resist.
With a Speech from the Throne coming next month, the thinking goes that the battered Liberals and Bloc Québécois won't dare bring down the Tories after getting badly beaten in two of their heartland ridings, so there's an opportunity for the Prime Minister to shove a little conservative dogma down the opposition's throat.
The problem with that notion is that the Tories won the riding of Roberval-Lac-Saint-Jean and came a solid second in Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot by doing exactly the opposite. To tack back now would only risk unravelling much of the work Mr. Harper has done in moderating policies on Afghanistan, the environment and others that Quebeckers have demanded be tempered.
"When Mr. Harper went into Quebec in his by-election sorties, he didn't mention Afghanistan, he didn't mention Kyoto," said Peter Donolo of the Strategic Counsel. "Instead he focused on the openness to Quebec and the fiscal imbalance that brought him dividends."
Calls for Liberal shakeup dog Dion
Since the by-elections were called, the Prime Minister and members of his government have dropped several hints that the Canadian combat presence in Kandahar will likely come to an end by 2009. He also used the recent APEC summit in Australia to style himself a protector of the environment.
A good example of the difficulties of Mr. Harper's previous approach can be found in the loss of another by-election one year ago. In London North Centre, the party handpicked a strong right-wing candidate in an effort to energize its core, thinking that a high turnout of its foundation voters would win the seat. The move backfired, as candidate Diane Haskett ended up polarizing an electorate that had already been asking questions about Mr. Harper's environmental policies.
The approach to the Quebec by-elections suggests Mr. Harper has learned his lesson.
Moreover, sources close to the Prime Minister say the Throne Speech is very close to being written and they don't expect Mr. Harper will make an effort to include anything that would bring about his government's defeat.
But given that the Tories have now won a key Quebec by-election and done well in another, there are those who will be tempted to develop a speech that gets back to basics. For example, some think the Prime Minister might want to reiterate his promise to get rid of the Canadian Wheat Board, or cement the plan to ditch the long-gun registry.
Given that the Liberals are in such difficulty, they're not likely to vote against the Throne Speech, and the previously mentioned policies could get through.
The problem, of course, is if something like opposing greater gun control was unpopular before, it's likely to continue to be unpopular. Pushing such a policy through Parliament may only be a win for the hard right and might offend those Canadians in the centre of the political spectrum, some of whom made up the voting group that won Roberval for the party.
"I don't think it's smart politics in Quebec," Mr. Donolo said.
This is not to say that all small-c conservative policies are political losers. Indeed, toughening up the justice system and cutting taxes are both ideas that would probably find favour with voters, Mr. Donolo says. These notions could find their way into the speech and, as far as the Conservative Party popularity goes, they probably should.
But, beyond those areas of strong resonance, Mr. Harper probably wants to continue the slow-and-steady building program that has, bit by bit, made Canadian voters more comfortable with him, rather than resurrect their suspicions by moving back to the right.
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