Results tagged “liberalparty”

The Hon. Dwight Duncan, Minister of Finance, has just wrapped up Ontario's 2009-2010 budget announcement at Queen's Park. Surprising nobody, the theme of his speech was the need to address Ontario's declining economy: Duncan began by saying that "our province is in the middle of a global economic and financial storm... we have seen a serious deterioration in our fiscal position." Ontario's deficit will come in at $14.1 billion in 2009-2010, and a return to balanced budgets is predicted to take several years. To tackle the province's weakened state the Liberals are proposing a stimulus package ($32.5 billion over the next two years for infrastructure projects, predicted to create 300,000 new jobs, and $300 million for green economy initiatives); tax relief ($10.6 billion spread over personal and business tax cuts); assistance measures (social assistance rates will go up by 2%); and a new harmonized federal-provincial value-added tax. So far, commenters are noting that Ontario's budget follows the pattern set by the federal government, perhaps signalling that relations between the two are improving somewhat.

When Iggy took the podium today he was full of fire and brimstone, sternly taking the Conservative government to task for its recent shenanigans. "We hold them responsible for telling us there would no recession when the rest of the world was already taking action...this is a record of reckless, arrogant, and short-sighted government." Strong stuff. Those who hoped that this language meant the Liberals would reject the Tories' new budget proposal were in for a rude awakening, however, as Ignatieff then toned his rhetoric down dramatically and introduced the crucial caveat: "But here is the point—the budget also contains important concessions...These measures are only in the budget because the opposition parties did their job." This afternoon in Parliament, Ignatieff introduced an amendment to the budget, meant to "put this government on probation"—it requires that the government issue updates in March, June, and December on the implementation of the stimulus package. Question Period is ongoing at this time, and Ignatieff is facing far more severe challenges from one-time coalition partners in the Bloc and NDP than from the Tories. The Conservatives appear poised to accept the amendment: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry Mike Lake just took to the floor to thank the Liberals for their support.

With the national economy struggling under the weight of a global economic crisis, Governor General Michaëlle Jean yesterday delivered a throne speech that was both incredibly brief (the English version contains just 750 words) and, due to the intense Ottawa cold, surrounded by hardly any of the usual vice-regal pomp and circumstance. Which was probably just as well, given that yesterday's speech was really just the pre-game show for today's main event, the federal budget.

Details are still sketchy, but according to at least two news outlets, Bob Rae will announce that he is ending his bid for leadership of the Liberal Party later today. This means that Michael Ignatieff will assume the party's leadership unopposed, and the Liberals may be able to justify their claim that they are finally getting it together under pressure. Ignatieff hasn't exactly won the hearts and minds of Liberals everywhere (his support of the war in Iraq still rankles for many), but they'll at least have some stability in the top role. The prospects for the coalition bid may dim substantially, however, as Ignatieff has been lukewarm from the start about that enterprise. Click here to join Torontoist's ongoing conversation about recent political developments.

                

It's been a tumultuous month so far in Canadian politics, with an unlikely centre-left coalition seeking to oust the newly re-elected Conservatives from power in Ottawa. But although Prime Minister Stephen Harper put the kibosh on the opposition's attempt to boot him from office before year's end, Saturday's duelling noontime pro- and anti-coalition rallies in Toronto went on as planned, showing just how much this unusual crisis has shaken residents across the political spectrum.

Sarah Lazarovic—curator of the garage-based Montrose Portrait Gallery of Canada—is painting a portrait of a Torontonian every day. Each Monday, we'll feature one of those portraits here. Suggestions for subjects welcome.

The Canadian Press is reporting that Stéphane Dion will announce his resignation as Liberal leader today, clearing the way for Etobicoke—Lakeshore member of Parliament Michael Ignatieff to be installed as the party's new chief in a caucus vote on Wednesday. Fellow Toronto MP and leadership contender Bob Rae isn't going down without a fight, though: in an email to supporters yesterday, the former NDP premier of Ontario called on Liberals to demand that grassroots members have a say in the selection of their new leader. As for the Liberal-NDP coalition, the future of the nascent partnership is murky: Ignatieff has been decidedly cool to the idea, and there are rumblings of dissent in the Liberal ranks. Click here to discuss the tumultuous soap opera that is the Canadian political scene.

Several news outlets are reporting that Stéphane Dion's tenure is about to end. Despite earlier coalition promises to keep him on as head of the Liberal Party and as the coalition's proposed Prime Minister, the ranks are growing restive and don't feel he has the capacity to lead them effectively into power. The mechanics: according to Liberal Party rules, when a leader resigns the caucus may select an interim leader to head the party until a national party vote can be held. Ignatieff has a clear majority of caucus support, and if the national executive decides to pursue the caucus selection process, will be installed as leader at least until the party's national convention in May. Bob Rae is, unsurprisingly, fighting this proposal on the grounds that it is elitist and leaves ordinary Liberals (especially those in western provinces, who have no elected MPs to represent them in a caucus vote) out of the process. Click here to join Torontoist's ongoing conversation about the recent parliamentary shenanigans.

Photo by jcbear2.

One hundred and forty-two minutes: That's how long it took Prime Minister Stephen Harper to emerge from Rideau Hall this morning to announce that Governor General Michaëlle Jean had granted his request to prorogue, or suspend, Parliament until Jan. 26. The first item on the agenda upon the resumption of Parliament will be the presentation of a federal budget. In comments to reporters, the prime minister pledged to try to address the opposition parties' concerns with respect to stimulus for the beleaguered economy. Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, NDP Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe all say that the possibility of a Liberal-NDP coalition is still in the cards. Click here to discuss Harper's prorogation move and Canada's continuing political drama.

Screenshot taken around 11 p.m., about four hours after the story went up. The error has since been corrected.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will speak to the nation tonight at 7 p.m. in a televised address that could spell out his plan to stave off defeat at the hands of an unprecedented Liberal-NDP coalition. The address comes in the middle of a public relations blitz from both sides of the political battle, featuring websites, newspaper editorials, and attack ads. Protests are also being organized across the country, including duelling rallies in Toronto planned for Saturday, December 6 at noon, with coalition supporters meeting at Nathan Phillips Square and the anti-coalition side gathering at Queen's Park. Get your placards ready! Click here to discuss the coalition crisis and wildly speculate on Harper's last-ditch plans.

After a weekend of negotiation and conjecture, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion and New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton this afternoon signed an accord pledging to work together in a coalition government until June 30, 2011, should the Conservative government be defeated in a vote of non-confidence. Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe also signed on, agreeing that his party will support the coalition until at least 2010. Under the accord, Stéphane Dion would be prime minister until the Liberal Party picks its new leader in May 2009; the new cabinet would consist of twenty-four members, including six New Democrats, with a Liberal finance minister. Click here to discuss the coalition deal and the unprecedented political drama engulfing the nation.

680 News and the Canadian Press are reporting that the Liberal Party will introduce a motion to bring down the Harper Conservative government on Monday and will attempt to form a coalition government with the NDP. According to the Canadian Press, Stéphane Dion will become prime minister should the Conservative government fall. Click here to discuss this story and to read Torontoist's round-up of the political events of the past twenty-four hours.

It was barely a month ago that the Harper Conservatives were returned to government with a strengthened minority and politicians of all stripes were pledging to work together to steer Canada through the global financial storm. But after Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivered an economic update yesterday that promised to end pay-equity programs, suspend federal employees' right to strike, and eliminate the subsidy for political parties (a move that would financially cripple the Liberals, NDP, and Bloc, but not the Conservatives), all three opposition leaders declared that either the Tories would have to blink or the government falls.

Photo by Brandon McKay.

Grit leader Stéphane Dion, who last Tuesday led his team to one of its worst electoral showings since Confederation, has announced that he will resign as head of the Liberal Party of Canada effective May 2009. Thus begins a leadership race in which high-profile Toronto MPs Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae are considered front-runners, and that could draw in GTA Liberal luminaries including—but certainly not limited to—former provincial education minister Gerard Kennedy, hockey great Ken Dryden, former federal immigration minister Joe Volpe, and lawyer Martha Hall Findlay. Be sure to check Torontoist later in the week for a rundown of the possible local contenders for the Liberal throne.

In the run-up to our favourite national pastime of electioneering, Torontoist profiled some of the most closely contested ridings in the GTA, looking for the bellwethers and offering snapshots of electoral districts in transition. Today we survey the outcomes of those races.

Torontoist is officially in election mode. In the run-up to the big day, we'll be profiling some of the most closely contested ridings in the GTA, looking for the bellwethers and offering snapshots of electoral districts in transition.

Torontoist is officially in election mode. In the run-up to the big day, we'll be profiling some of the most closely contested ridings in the GTA, looking for the bellwethers and offering snapshots of electoral districts in transition.

Torontoist is officially in election mode. In the run-up to the big day, we'll be profiling some of the most closely contested ridings in the GTA, looking for the bellwethers and offering snapshots of electoral districts in transition.

Torontoist is officially in election mode. In the run-up to the big day, we'll be profiling some of the most closely-contested ridings in the GTA, looking for the bellwethers and offering snapshots of electoral districts in transition.

Photo of Carolyn Bennett by Jerad Gallinger/Torontoist.

Torontoist is officially in election mode. In the run-up to the big day, we'll be profiling some of the most closely contested ridings in the GTA, looking for the bellwethers and offering snapshots of electoral districts in transition.

Photo by functoruser.

The younger members of the "Toronto 18" were clueless dupes, according to the RCMP informant on the case. Best line from the story: "At one point, he said, the leaders hid in the bushes and made wolf and bear noises." Thank God we caught them early or they would have been making animal noises outside of Parliament!

At an event yesterday to show off Toronto's new street furniture, David Miller praised the exclusive deal with Astral Media. The contract includes a measly 1,000 new bicycle posts, because God knows we don't want to encourage cycling in downtown Toronto. The contract also includes new public toilet installations which are billed as being "self-cleaning," to which Torontoist can only issue a collective "shyeeeeah, right."

Honest Ed's turkey giveaway successful like always. Which, Torontoist supposes, is not technically "news," but considering the rest of today's actual news, we felt it appropriate to lead off with a softball.

Liberals turf scandal-ridden MP. Blair Wilson (West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast) would just like everybody to know that he is very sorry that he impugned the Liberal Party's name with his electoral spending mishaps, although not quite so sorry that he's resigning as a member of Parliament.