Canuck Politics

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff says Liberals will return to Parliament on January 25 to hold public consultations until the Olympics begin February 12.

Ignatieff promised the public consultations would produce “serious public policy”, and he held to his previous commitment not to force a spring election.

Stephen Harper says cooperation among the G20 economies was instrumental in averting an economic disaster as the worst of the global financial crisis seems to have passed.

If these measures are enacted and we continue to move forward with the G20 process, we will have the kind of global governance that is necessary to ensure the stability and transparency of markets, in a way that gives us the benefits of a globalized market economy without the enormous risks that we have experienced the last few years.

- Stephen Harper

Liberals Michael Ignatieff and Gerard Kennedy accuse the Harper government of allocating more infrastructure spending to Conservative-held ridings than to ridings held by opposition parties.

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff defended taxes and promoted an activist roll for government in a luncheon speech at the Toronto Board of Trade.

Links:

• Transcript of Ignatieff’s speech to the Toronto Board of Trade
• Tax hike likely unavoidable, Liberal leader says

September 2 and 3, 2009 – Federal party leaders position themselves after Michael Ignatieff and the Liberals began pushing for a fall election.

Prime Minister Harper says he will not make any “backroom deals” but is willing to listen to specific proposals coming from the other parties.

The Liberals have abandoned the blue-ribbon EI consultation panel they negotiated in June, and Ignatieff says he won’t negotiate with Harper any longer.

Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe says the Bloc is ready for an election, and they will vote in the interests of Quebec on an issue-by-issue basis.

NDP leader Jack Layton denies any existing deals with the Liberal Party or Bloc.  Layton he says he will not make any “backroom deals”, and that Stephen Harper must “reach out” and take action on NDP issues or he will not support the Conservatives in the House of Commons.

Related Videos:

• Video: Liberals push for fall election (September 1, 2009)

Michael Ignatieff says the Liberal Party no longer has confidence in the Conservative government, and they will work to trigger an election at their earliest opportunity.

Liberals say they will not negotiate, and there is nothing Harper can do to change their minds.

The game is up for this Conservative government … Mr. Harper, your time is up.  We cannot support this government any further.

- Michael Ignatieff

Related videos:

• The Ignatieff Ultimatum (June 15, 2009)
• Tories and Grits cooperate on EI Reform (June 17, 2009)

NDP leader Jack Layton met with Prime Minister Harper to discuss the upcoming session of Parliament.

Layton said he could find no common ground with Harper, and it is unlikely the NDP will support the Conservative government on votes of confidence.

The NDP would be the least likely of the political parties to support the Conservatives.

- Jack Layton

May 26 to 28, 2009 - Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says Canada’s 2009/10 budget deficit will grow to over $50 billion, about 50% higher than the $34 billion deficit projected in January.

Liberals demanded Flaherty’s resignation for ‘gross incompetence’.

The government defended its deficit, saying it is necessary during a recession and affordable given Canada’s favourable fiscal position relative to other leading economies.

Links:

• The Economist: How indebted rich countries will be in 2014

May 13 to May 26, 2009 – Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff demands a national eligibility standard for Employment Insurance that would allow jobless workers to qualify for benefits after working 360 hours.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is interviewed on Sky News while at the G-20 meeting in London, England.

Harper rejects a global financial regulator, saying soverign countries will never accept international regulation of their monetary policies.