Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

1997 interview shows Harper flip-flop over minority coalition

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
Home » Discuss » Places » Canada Donate to DU
 
CHIMO Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Apr-22-11 05:52 PM
Original message
1997 interview shows Harper flip-flop over minority coalition
It's a question that moved this week to the heart of the 2011 federal election: Can a second-place party in a minority Parliament legitimately form a government?

In a CBC interview aired Thursday, Conservative leader Stephen Harper offered an unequivocal answer — No — and suggested any such move by his rival parties to form a "coalition" in a divided, post-election House of Commons would spark a debate over "constitutional law."

But in another televised interview in 1997 — when he was trying to chart a path to bring Canada's conservatives to power in a Liberal-dominated Parliament — Harper's answer to the same question was a resounding yes.

There is strong evidence, too, that Harper himself — despite his own denials today — was prepared in 2004 to become a "second-place prime minister" by allying with the Bloc Quebecois and NDP in a "co-opposition" arrangement to defeat the minority Liberal government of Paul Martin.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/decision-canada/1997+interview+shows+Harper+flip+flop/4661967/story.html

First saw the article in the Edmonton Journal, then it disappeared. Nowhere to be found.
Refresh | 0 Recommendations Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top

Home » Discuss » Places » Canada Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC