Posts Tagged ‘Stéphane Dion’
Dion says Harper lying about hidden agenda
Stéphane Dion says the Conservative government is the most secretive in Canadian history, and Stephen Harper has a hidden neo-conservative agenda to transform Canada into an ‘extreme right-wing’ country.
Dion meets Harper, election inevitable
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.
Harper to call early election despite fixed date
July 30 to August 26, 2008 - Prime Minister Stephen Harper appears ready to call a federal election this fall despite the fixed-date election law passed by his government. Harper cites opposition threats and parliamentary deadlock as grounds for an early election.
Liberal leader Stéphane Dion criticized Harper for breaking the spirit of his own fixed election date law, yet continued his threats to defeat the government sometime before the fixed election date in October 2009.
The cash-strapped Liberal Party was widely expected to defeat the government when the House returns this fall, but only after they receive a $2 million rebate paymet from Elections Canada in October.
Dion unveils Liberal "Green Shift" carbon tax
Liberal leader Stéphane Dion announced details of the Liberal Party’s Green Shift carbon tax at a party rally in Ottawa.
The plan includes a tax on carbon emissions against big polluters with tax cuts and rebates for individuals intended to offset increased energy prices caused by the tax.
Dion later challenged Harper to a public debate saying he wants a substantive discussion on the issue.
Related Videos:
- Video: Harper promotes Canada’s emission reduction plan in Europe
- Video: Stéphane Dion proposes carbon ‘tax shift’
Links:
- Liberal Party website: The Green Shift
Canada apologizes for residential schools, forced assimilation
Prime Minister Harper offered Canada’s aboriginal peoples an official apology for the government’s involvement in the Indian residential school system and its ongoing policy of forced assimilation.
Opposition leaders also offered their apologies during a special sitting of the House of Commons. First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders were welcomed onto the House floor to respond to the apology.
RCMP says no Conservative bribery, libel suit against Liberal Party still pending
The RCMP has closed its investigation into allegations that Conservatives attempted to bribe the late independent MP Chuck Cadman in 2005, saying there is no evidence of any wrongdoing by Stephen Harper or the Conservative Party.
Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc asked the RCMP to investigate the allegations, and today released the the RCMP’s response. Despite the RCMP findings, Stéphane Dion and other Liberals say they will continue to press the government on the alleged attempted bribery of the deceased MP.
Links:
- Video: Harper sues Liberal Party over bribery accusations (March 13, 2008)
- Video: Liberals claim Conservatives tried to bribe dying MP (February 28, 2008)
Stéphane Dion proposes carbon ‘tax shift’
Stéphane Dion outlined his vision for the economy and environment during a speech at the Canadian Club of Toronto.
Dion proposed a carbon tax during the speech, saying it will be revenue neutral because he would also lower other taxes.
MacKay Editorial Cartoons: Liberals uneasy about Dion’s plan for carbon tax
Some Liberals are uneasy of the plan, fearing it will be difficult to sell during an election.
Related links:
- Report: Pricing Carbon: Saving Green (David Suzuki Foundation)
- Regulatory Framework for Industrial Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Government of Canada)
- Video: Stephen Harper’s economic plan
Why did Elections Canada raid Conservative Party headquarters?
April 15 to 17, 2008 -The RCMP searched Conservative Party Headquarters executing a warrant obtained by Elections Canada.
Elections Canada has not revealed the reason for the raid, and the affidavit used to obtain the search warrant has been sealed in a Toronto court.
The RCMP say the Mounties were merely assisting with the Elections Canada warrant:
It is not an RCMP investigation. We’re there to assist, but that’s it.
- RCMP Cpl. Jean Hainey
The Conservative Party is suing Elections Canada over an August 2007 ruling by the agency that disallowed rebates claimed for election spending during the 2006 election.
Conservatives claim other political parties follow the same practices, and they accuse Elections Canada of applying different standards to the Conservative Party.
MacKay Editorial Cartoons: Much is at stake for Elections Canada
The Tories say Elections Canada improperly seized confidential legal documents related to their civil dispute, and they claim the timing of the search is suspicious coming just one day before Elections Canada officials were to be cross-examined by Conservative lawyers.
The situation has led to speculation that Elections Canada is acting out a vendetta against Conservatives over past disagreements.
Related links:
- Stephen Harper’s August 2001 fundraising letter in which he says “the jackasses at Elections Canada are out of control.”
Harper sues Liberal Party over Cadman bribery accusations
March 3 to 13, 2008 – Stephen Harper is suing the Liberal Party for defamation and libel over accusations made on their website claiming Harper knew of an alleged attempt to bribe late independent MP Chuck Cadman in 2005.
Harper asked Stéphane Dion and other Liberals to apologize for the defamation, but they refused and continued their attacks in the House of Commons where they are protected by parliamentary privilege.
Outside the House, Liberals wrote the RCMP requesting a criminal investigation.
Related videos:
Liberals claim Conservatives tried to bribe dying MP
Liberal MPs claim that Conservatives tried to bribe dying MP Chuck Cadman in 2005.
Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc asked the RCMP to investigate the allegations.
