Canuck Politics

Stephen Harper predicts Canada will emerge from the global recession faster than other countries, and stronger than before.

Canada was the last advanced country to fall into this recession, we will make sure its effects here are the least severe, and we will come out of this faster than anyone, and stronger than ever.

- Prime Minister Stephen Harper

The Liberal Party will support the 2009/10 Federal Budget against the wishes of their coalition partners in the Bloc and NDP.

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff says he is putting the government “on probation” with a budget amendment requiring the government to report back to Parliament in March, June and December.

Ignatieff refused to consult with the government on the creation of the budget, and the Liberals did not include any specific policy proposals in their budget amendment.

I did not consult him in advance, I see no obligation to … I told the Prime Minister very clearly: I’m the leader of the oppostion, he’s the Prime Minister. Its his budget, not mine.

- Michael Ignatieff

NDP leader Jack Layton and Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe say the move effectively kills the Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition.

Stephen Harper is going to remain in office because Michael Ignatieff has decided to to keep him there.

- Jack Layton

The coalition is dead, its finished, its over.

- Gilles Duceppe

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced the Canadian government will return to deficit spending as he tables the first recession budget in over a decade.

The budget includes stimulus spending on infrastructure projects, a home renovation tax credit, and income tax cuts for those earning less than $80,000 per year.  The government is expected to run a deficit of $33.7 billion for the 2009-10 fiscal year and $29.8 billion in 2010/11.

Flaherty said the uncertain economic outlook may still get worse, and the government is prepared to for larger deficits if current forecasts prove optimistic.

The budget includes a plan to return spending to a surplus after 5 years, and promises any future surpluses would be used to pay off the debt accumulated from deficit spending during the recession.

Links:

• 2009/10 Federal Budget

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff launches a scathing attack on Stephen Harper during his first keynote speech at a luncheon hosted by the Canadian Club of Toronto and the Empire Club of Canada.

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

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.

Canada’s opposition parties are threatening to defeat the Conservative government over cuts to political party subsidies included in Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s economic update.

Flaherty says the federal budget will go into deficit after accounting for the planned economic stimulus spending agreed by the G-20 nations.

We cannot ask Canadians to tighten their belts during tougher times without looking in the mirror. Canadians have a right to look to government as an example. We have a responsibility to show restraint and respect for their money. Canadian tax dollars are precious … Today, our Government is eliminating the $1.75-per-vote taxpayer subsidy for politicians and their parties, effective April 1, 2009.

- Finance Minister Jim Flaherty

October 7 to November 25, 2008 - During the federal election Stephen Harper promised to never run budgetary deficits, but has since backed away from his promise in the face of uncertain economic conditions.

We will not be running a deficit. We will be keeping spending within our means, it is that simple.

-Stephen Harper, October 7, 2008

Balancing the budget by raising taxes, by cutting essential government activity, or by refusing necessary intervention in the midst of a global economic crisis would be a cure worse than the disease.

- Stephen Harper, November 20, 2008

There are occasions when defitis are not necessarily bad, but essential.

- Stephen Harper, November 23, 2008

November 18 to 24, 2008 – The 40th session of Parliament opens with all political parties promising a new spirit of cooperation.  Despite this, opposition members set a confrontational tone in Question Period.

Prime Minister Harper spoke to the Economic Club of Toronto where he outlined his economic vision for Canada.

We have been heading into a period of economic uncertainty and slower growth. Its happened before, and it will happen again.

But the fork in the road is whether, under these circumstances, we will make choices that exacerbate the problem for the sake of the short term or whether we will make choices that allow us to exploit the potential in our future.