Liberal whipped abstension preserves Tory government
October 19 – 24, 2007 - Liberal leader Stéphane Dion addressed the House of Commons and announced his intention to abstain from the vote on the government’s Speech from the Throne despite previous threats and objections to the proposed legislative agenda.
The tactic is known as a ‘whipped abstention’ because MPs are compelled to abstain from the vote or be expelled from the party caucus.
MacKay Editorial Cartoons: Laughter rains down on Dion
Advertisement
And the Liberals are any better right now? Just yesterday, the Ottawa Citizen reported that the Liberals are STILL the party with the highest rate of missing votes, absent for 12 % of them, 4X as many as the Conservatives.
Yet Iggy was the one who said his party was, and these are his EXACT words: “tired of sitting down.” And yet they still miss tons of votes, and even voted with the Tories 79 % of the time.
New leader, (supposedly) new ideas, new rhetoric, but same pathetic results.
lkcwu
April 20, 2009 at 12:34 pm
I’m surprised that Harper didn’t just flat out thank Dion.
CanuckProductions
June 25, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Who says politics is boring???
beachbum1000
April 20, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Hmmm…the Conservatives are not immune either. This is John Baird’s structure for his responses to opposition questions:
“This gov’t in taking action Mr Speaker in [this matter] the Liberals did nothing in [this matter] and we are getting the job done…”
Rarely does he ever answer the question…
nickgibson1
April 8, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I love the cat calls againts the cock sucking liberals
scubaspears
February 20, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Ralph Goodale always talks trash (as most Liberals do). He has no ounce of integrity whatsoever.
baird007
January 14, 2008 at 10:31 am
Dion says that Canadians don’t want to have an election. He is right. He is also a Canadian.
Bryce
December 8, 2007 at 11:52 am
Was the Ralph Goodale talking trash in the background to the NDP?
jmay2002
November 15, 2007 at 2:40 pm
God this is so funny!
jmay2002
November 8, 2007 at 12:13 am
[...] Liberal ‘whipped abstension’ preserves Tory government [...]
Canadian government announces $60 billion in tax cuts | Canuck Politics
November 1, 2007 at 7:55 pm