Modeling Journey

Well, the NDP tried.
They said they would give the Harper minority government a chance to show that the Tories were prepared to depart from their previous uncooperative methods and table policies closer to what the NDP wanted. And if the Tories did this, the NDP would consider propping them up come September

And, presumably, if the Tories kept giving the NDP things that they wanted (over and above the list of four the NDP floated), then as the weeks went by, the NDP would continue to prop up the Tories. As long as the gifts to the NDP and to Canadians kept coming.

As long as Stephen Harper took out his sweater and put on a red hat with white trimming and started to play Santa Clause to Jack Layton's NDP party, that is. As soon as the gifts stopped coming, the implicit argument went, then the propping would stop and Harper would be on his own, fuzzy sweater and nice red hat notwithstanding.

So what do the Tories think of the NDP recasting their role in the next Parliament into one in which they become Harper's merry little elves, doing Santa's bidding and busily engaged in making and packaging presents for Jack and his Dippers?

Not much:

"A senior Conservative cabinet minister is dismissing the chances the minority Harper government might be able to cut a deal with the NDP in order to stay in office.

Canadians appear to be headed for a fall election after Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff announced Tuesday his party will no longer prop up the minority Tory government and will actively seek its defeat. The NDP, however, has so far reserved judgment on whether it will follow suit and help the Liberals.

But Immigration Minister Jason Kenney told a Calgary radio show Wednesday that he cannot see NDP Leader Jack Layton and the Tories finding enough common ground to reach an agreement that would see the New Democrats prop up the Conservative government.

Such a deal would require the Tories to introduce policies the NDP has been calling for, such as regulating credit-card interest rates.

“Look. We've always tried to demonstrate willingness to co-operate with the opposition parties. We did in the last budget. But we're not for sale to the highest bidder, least of all the NDP,” Mr. Kenney told Calgary radio show host Dave Rutherford today.

“It's a party of hard-core left-wing ideologues. … It's not like a moderate, centre-left party. These folks, they drink their own Kool-Aid right? So I don't think we can see a realistic arrangement with the NDP.”

Privately, senior Conservative officials are saying the same thing.

“There's not much to be gained playing footsie with Jack Layton,” one Tory official said."

Ouch!

Not prepared to play Santa. Not up for sale to the highest bidder. Hard-core left-wing idealogues. Kool-Aid drinkers. Footsie players.

Not the nice, inviting words to begin a close relationship, eh?

The Cat would guess that Jack's love is going to be unrequited. No goodies from Santa Stephen.

And no footsie playing, either.