In 2011, one of the turning points in Canada’s federal election campaign (at least in determining which party would form the Official Opposition) came when voters learned about Michael Ignatieff’s refusal to show up for work in the House of Commons. One might have expected the Libs’ next leader to
Continue readingTag: ineffective opposition
Accidental Deliberations: Compare and contrast
One party’s response to a limited amount of Parliamentary resources:“New Democrat MPs were responsible for 56 per cent of all private members’ motions, and 59 per cent of all private members’ bills. Compared to other parties, that’s four times …
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Kept on track
Impolitical rightly points out that the Harper Cons are well on their way to implementing every single odious policy that was rightly labeled as unacceptable overreach when included in Deficit Jim Flaherty’s 2008 fiscal update. Now if only somebody had…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Stonewalled
Not that it should come as much surprise that the release of the first report (PDF) from the Afghan detainee document panel fits the pattern of delay and distraction from the Cons. But this declaration (italics added) looks to take the stonewalling to …
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On destructive suggestions
Lest there be any doubt, one of the most important ways an opposition party can have influence in a majority Parliament is by choosing issues to highlight, thereby creating a perceived safe space for the governing party to act if it so chooses.Which is…
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: On losing strategies
Sure, Greg is right to criticize the Libs for being willing to provoke a national unity crisis for political gain. But I’m not sure when that became reason for surprise: have we already forgotten that the party’s main Quebec strategy during its stay in…
Continue reading