Stephane Dion’s Liberals will vote for the Throne Speech if their proposed amendments are accepted.
(Photo: CLWN Files)
No federal election in sight
Throne Speech expected to pass this week
If the Liberals stick to the game plan announced by their leader this past Wednesday, there will no election called next week.
“Stephen Harper decided to go for broke,” stated Laval-Les Îles Liberal MP Raymonde Folco, just minutes before Liberal leader Stephane Dion was to give his response to the Throne Speech. “The Prime Minister backed the opposition parties to the wall.”
Mrs. Folco doesn’t believe Canadians have become infatuated with the Conservative Party. “Whenever voter intentions for the Conservatives climb high enough to give them a majority government, they climb back down in the next poll,” she noted.
Marc-Aurèle-Fortin Bloc MP Serge Ménard is of the same opinion. In his view, the Prime Minister decided to prorogue parliament and introduce a new Throne Speech because he wanted (his minority government) to be defeated so he could call an election. “But in the end, he wasn’t as sure. He put a little water in his wine,” Mr. Menard stated.
Although for health reasons she was neither in the House of Commons nor at the caucus meeting which took place before the Leader of the Opposition spoke, Raymonde Folco reports that her party’s MPs were divided on what approach to take regarding the speech read by the Governor General. “Some wanted an election, but the choice is the leader’s to make,” she stated.
Serge Ménard said that Stéphane Dion’s support of the Throne Speech was to be expected. “Nobody is duped. Everyone knows that if he supports the speech, he’ll be doing it to serve his own needs,” he added. The veteran politician believes that in the near future, the Liberal Party of Canada will undergo a leadership change, similar to that experienced by the Parti québécois.
Justice
A former provincial justice minister and current BQ parliamentary critic for public security and civil protection, Serge Ménard is disappointed that the Conservative omnibus bill on crime is modeled on United States legislation. “It’s my greatest criticism of this government. It takes its lead from a country with the worst record for crime. The chances of being a homicide victim are three times as high in the United States as here,” he emphasizes.
The Marc-Aurèle-Fortin MP would like Ottawa to base its criminal laws more on Quebec practices and those of Scandinavian countries, especially in relation to juvenile deliquency.
Lower income taxes
Although she’s pleased with the idea of paying less in income taxes and GST, the only Liberal MP on Laval island has lots of questions concerning where the promises of Stephen harper will take the country. “What programs will he cut? He’s already cut several, notably for women, minorities, seniors, and aid to companies. It scares me because I believe in federal aid programs,” she stated. She noted that when there is less money coming into government coffers, there’s less that comes out.
Photo: stephane dion
(Photo: CLWN Files)
“No one is duped. Everyone knows that if Stephane Dion supports the speech, he’ll be doing it to serve his own needs.”
Serge menard
Météo: Laval, 18 juillet 2008 / 22°C
/ Faible averse de pluie
/ Vents: 22 Km/h / Humidité relative: 83 % 
Steven Guilbeault - Chronique environnement
Richard Cléroux - Le fouineur politique
