Canadians! Explain to me what Harper is up to now

[Hardrada]

bu shutting down Parliament? Can he really do that? What about the coalition?

[Oregone]

1. He is delaying the confidence vote...

He is either going to attempt to use PR to get the people to pressure the coalition to support him or offer a viable budget (or a combination of the two). Suspending parliament for two months helps him do it.

This isn't a horrible thing the more I think about it. Essentially, Harper is learning his bounds, and if the Liberals can dictate the budget/stimulus without being behind the reigns, they do not stand to take responsibility for failures. In the long run, this could help the opposition far more. He is damaging his reputation, destroying his mandate, bending to their will, and he is going to remain the person to blame.

But Im not Canadian. Im an American Werewolf in Canada.

[applegrove]

6. Sounds like you have a handle on canadian politics. Well said.

[HeresyLives]

2. A stay of execution?

Harper went to the Governor General, and asked to prorogue Parliament. That is, shut it down, suspend it. It was a 2'na half hour meeting. She granted it, but I gather from what he said when he came out he is supposed to make an effort to work with the other parties. This postpones a non-confidence vote, but he loses several powers during this time period.

Parliament is supposed to return on Jan 26, and he will present a budget.

Assuming the Coalition holds together, and I think he's gambling that it won't, there will be a confidence vote on it then. I presume he thinks he can come up with such a fantastic budget the Coalition would have a hard time voting against it anyway.

No one is really happy about this, except the Conservative party of course.

If the Coalition does hold together, and votes down the budget at that time, the GG could then either call an election or offer the position of PM to the Coalition leader. Since more time will have passed by then since the last election, it's entirely possible we'll have another one.

Basically he bought himself some time. Whether he behaves himself in the meantime, is anybody's guess.

[Oregone]

3. "Since more time will have passed by then since the last election, it's entirely possible"...

You have any precedent to back that up? Just curious...

It seems like if there is a viable majority coalition when parliament is dissolved, the GG would have to allow them a chance to form a government before allowing an election.

Even two months from now will be so close to the last election that there is no promise a new one will change anything (aka grant Harper a majority).

Maybe this is his intention though...to spend another 2 months campaigning for a majority won in an election. Does he stand a chance at this point?

[HeresyLives]

4. Coalition already falling apart.

So I doubt there will be a vote of non-confidence. But if there is the GG can simply call an election. People will grumble, but they'll go out and vote.

There are already calls for the resignation of both Harper and Dion, but assuming his party doesn't replace him and they likely won't, Harper will spend the next 2 months campaigning with attack ads. So he may well get back in with a majority.

[Hardrada]

5. I was so hoping his neocon rule would end with Bush's but

this is more like Saxby Chambliss being re-elected in Georgia. Some bitter conservative Parthian shots!

[DerekJ]

7. Is there any fellow Canadians here actually supporting the coalition? If you do, can you please

explain why?