Ontario careens towards an election nobody wants…
Ontario Liberals threaten election after NDP ‘breaks its word’ on budget
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty threatened to take Ontario to a general election Thursday if the opposition parties couldn’t agree on a deal to pass the budget.
“This is about Ontario’s economic livelihood and our ability to continue steering the province in the right direction in these challenging times,” McGuinty said in a statement.
“It’s absolutely imperative that we pass this budget. And if we cannot pass this budget, we will take it to the people in a general election.”
The NDP had appeared ready to support the minority Liberal budget in exchange for a new tax on incomes over $500,000, and to get more hearings into the fiscal plan before next week’s vote.
But on Thursday, McGuinty accused NDP leader Andrea Horwath of reneging on the deal.
“Earlier today, the NDP turned their backs — yet again — on an agreement to pass our budget,” McGuinty said. “They joined forces with the PCs to gut the government’s budget bill.
“The consequences of the NDP’s latest backtrack would hurt our economy when what it needs most is stability and certainty. Andrea Horwath and her party have, for the second time, broken their word about passing this budget.”
6 responses to “Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?”
Jaded comment time.
If the electorate could be trusted to recognize that the Tories basically voted for things they vehemently oppose in committee just to screw with the budget process to make the government look bad and/or force an election, I’d say drop the writ and smack them down.
But the electorate can’t be trusted.
The opposition will flood the airwaves with ORNGE 24/7 and the whole reason why we’d be in an election, that the Tories basically betrayed their entire platform would be lost.
I have no clue what McGuinty does.
The Liberals have spent themselves into a fiscal mess and now need the support of the NDP for an austerity budget.
What a giggle.
The opposition has good reason to believe McGuinty will back down. Why? McGuinty has the most reason to avoid an election:
1. He’s in power now
2. His poll numbers are bad (the Tories are in the lead)
3. If he can make it to the by-election caused by Witmer’s departure, he has a non-zero chance of getting a majority government.
4. He will likely be blamed for the election.
5. The budget items the NDP is pushing for are politically popular.
So if you’re the NDP, it makes eminent sense to demand a lot. If McGuinty caves, you get a policy victory. If McGuinty doesn’t, you get an election in which you likely stand to make gains.
And there is at least one person who wants this election. His name is Tim. An election would temporarily quell internal dissent (if the Tories lose Kitchener-Waterloo, Hudak will be ousted), and give him a better-than-even shot at becoming premier.
When have Committee votes ever been questions of Confidence?
Apparently, when invoking the War Measures Act. And to pass McGuinty’s budget.
That’s about it.
What an ironic title – the day before Rodney King was found dead.
Where are the truth-seekers in our media today? Above, McGuinty is quoted as saying there was an agreement to pass the budget.
Yet, just a month ago the Toronto Star carried an article including the comments that .. “Astonishingly, the Liberals never sought assurances during deliberations between McGuinty and Horwath that the New Democrats would either abstain from or support the budget bill vote.
That has caused consternation among some Liberals not directly involved in the talks.
“Maybe McGuinty should have got the deal in writing,” complained one flabbergasted Grit on Wednesday.”
When will the media call out the lies we’re being told?
Ref: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1182843–ontario-budget-2012-liberals-and-ndp-at-odds-over-budget-bill