Canuck Politics

September 10 and 11, 2009 – Liberal leader Micheal Ignatieff says the Liberal Party will never enter into a governing coalition with the NDP and Bloc because “it would not be in the national interest”.

Ignatieff has previously said he is prepared to lead a coalition government, but later broke with the other opposition parties to pass the Conservative budget in January.

I could be standing here as the Prime Minister of Canada.  I turned it down; we turned it down in January.  I don’t think I need to give further proof of my feeling that that’s not what Canadians want.  I agree with Canadians.

- Michael Ignatieff

Links:

• Video: New Liberal leader Ignatieff prepared to lead coalition government (December 10th, 2008)

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff and Prime Minister Stephen Harper agree to cooperate on the governments plans to to reform Employment Insurance.

The deal marks the first occasion Michael Ignatieff has agreed to work with the government on the development of public policy, having previously refused Harper’s consultation offers.  Ignatieff makes no guarantee the EI panel will produce results.

We have agreed to strike a working group which will seek to present … specific legislative proposals to bring the self-employed into the Employment Insurance system.

… We don’t have an agreement … and I give you no guarantees that we can get there.

- Michael Ignatieff

The Liberal Party executive have appointed Micheal Ignatieff as the interim leader of the Liberal Party until he is acclaimed at a formal leadership convention in May 2009.

Ignatieff took direct aim at Stephen Harper in his first press conference as Liberal leader, saying he is prepared to defeat the Conservatives and lead a coalition government.

I am prepared to vote non-confidence in this government.  And I am prepared to enter into a coalition government with our partners.

- Micheal Ignatieff

Related videos:

• Video: Dion attacks Harper at debut press conference (December 14, 2006)
  

Prime Minister Harper has asked the Governor General to prorogue Parliament until January 26 when the government will present an early budget.

The move delays the government’s likely defeat until it faces a confidence vote on their new Throne Speech.

Harper invited input on the budget from the NDP and Liberals, saying only Canada’s three federalist parties can be trusted to act in Canada’s interests.

The Bloc has every legitimate right to be here, but their game is not about working on the economy to serve the greater interests of the country.

The do have a fundamentally different agenda, and that’s not the agenda of the other three of us … I think that’s a more fundamental difference than whether you are a little more for the market, or a little more interventionist.

- Stephen Harper

The coalition leaders Gilles Duceppe, Jack Layton and Stéphane Dion said they will not support the government, saying its Harper who cannot be trusted.

McKay Political Cartoons: Cracks in coalition starting to show

Prime Minister Harper vowed to use all legal means at his disposal in order to stop the Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition from taking power.

There was controversy when the video response from coalition leader Stéphane Dion arrived late and out of focus.

Stephen Harper fights for the survival of his government in a heated session of Question Period.

The leaders of the Liberal Party, NDP, and the Bloc Québécois signed a power sharing agreement and announced their plan to defeat the Conservative government in a confidence vote December 8.

The coalition says they must seize power from Stephen Harper in order to implement a larger economic stimulus package than the Conservative plan.

The political parties have written to Governor General Michaëlle Jean asking her to install Stéphane Dion as Prime Minister instead of calling an election.

The five federal party leaders debate the election issues in the English language debate.

Liberal candidate Bob Rae introduces former leadership rival Stéphane Dion in a rousing speech at a campaign rally in Halifax.

We look at Mr. Harper and we say instinctively, ‘Grandma, what big teeth you have!’, and there’s no way we’re going to let that wolf stay at Sussex Drive.

Stéphane Dion spoke with reporters after meeting Stephen Harper just hours prior to an expected election call.

Dion said he could find no common ground with Harper, and he refused to support Harper’s minority government.  Dion says there is no need for an election, and he criticized Harper for breaking his own fixed-date election law.