Modeling Journey

Breaking News: Conservatives back down

Update: It looks like we are not out of the woods yet. Opposition still threatening to topple the government due to a "lack of stimulus package included in the bill". Coalition talks are continuing. Liberal plotting to remove Dion and replace him with Ignatieff (or Goodale or Rae) still ongoing.

Update 2: It looks like the coalition talks are ongoing but now that the public financing portion has been separated from Monday's bill it only raises the stakes that much higher. Liberals, NDP and the Bloc could proceed with coalition talks and vote against the government Monday due to it not containing a stimulus package. They could be taking a huge risk though as there is no guarantee the Governor General will allow the official opposition a chance to form a coalition. Unintended consequences could be a snap election caused by the opposition meaning they would feel the wrath of the people for making the stimulus package a 300 million dollar election campaign over the holidays. Allowing the bill to pass on Monday could expose them as being more concerned about their own election financing then their argument about an economic stimulus. Sounds like it is still a tough choice for the opposition parties. Personally I hope that if we are defeated on Monday, Jean just simply calls an election so that the people can sort out this mess - not Broadbent, Chretien and the separatists.

Update 3: (From CBC)

The federal Liberals plan to introduce a motion in the House of Commons on Monday declaring non-confidence in the minority Conservative government and proposing a governing coalition, the Canadian Press is reporting. Emissaries from the Liberals, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois have been holding talks about forming a new government should Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority fall.