12.05.2013 02:46 PM

PMO spox: Harper resignation rumour “absolutely false”

Well, it always is until it isn’t.

Not much else Jason can say, really.

40 Comments

  1. WDM says:

    I do not believe he will be resigning. However I’ll say this; there are several provincial elections scheduled for October 2015. The chances the federal government moves its fixed election date up to the Spring of 2015 or to the Spring of 2016 is high. If its the former, and PMSH doesn’t want to run again, a resignation in the first half of 2014 would make sense timing-wise (ie new PM in place by summer, election following the budget in 2015. Anyways, as noted, I doubt it happens, but in a scenario where he doesn’t run again, he’s within six-months of having to make that clear IMO.

    • Kev says:

      The provinces that were to have had elections in the fall of 2015, have all said (publicly or through back channels) that they will move their “fixed election date” to the spring of 2015 or 2016. That clears the decks for the federal election in the fall of 2015 as planned.

  2. Matt says:

    Not sure where he is on the political spectrum, but what are the chances people within the CPC power structure are wispering into Brad Wall’s ear to leave Sask?

    Besides Jason Kenney, who do you see throwing their hat in, should the story prove true?

    • Warren says:

      Moore, Raitt, McKay maybe a couple others with no business being there.

        • Matt says:

          I thought of Prentice this afternoon.

          If I was in his place, I’m not sure I’d want to leave a comfortable job in the private sector to return to the crap Ottawa dishes out daily.

          • Well if he won the ledership, and he would be a strong candidate, untainted by the shenanigans, then he would get to put; ‘ PM of Canada on his resume.’ Pretty heady stuff for someone who spent a lot of time in politics

          • Elisabeth Lindsay says:

            When you see what Ottawa can do to your reputation and life, why in the heck would you ever?

        • frmr disgruntled Con now happy Lib says:

          Mr. Prentice is competent, intelligent, hard working(he put himself through university by working in coal mines), had good people supporting him when he ran for the PC Leadership(we’ll excuse the endorsement of {{{shudder}}} pro-merger candidate and religious zealot Craig Chandler), is respected, and generally well liked by people……hope his speaking style has improved, because quite frankly, his speech at the leadership convention left most people underwhelmed……and this (along with the aforementioned endorsement) ended his run for leadership of the PC’s……
          Hes free of the taint of “Dear Leader” and his cabal, and is popular with both the PC and Refoorm camps, and a family man….
          (Im sure J.K. is beating the bushes for a spouse as we speak)…..

          • david ray says:

            “beating the bushes” sounds a tad violent for a man who suffers from ereptile dysfunction 🙂

    • Jon Adams says:

      Wall’s goal, I believe is a political dynasty in Saskatchewan to well and truly void the stink of the Devine years. He can mop the floor with the provincial NDP, so I don’t see him going anywhere until at least 2018.

    • MississaugaPeter says:

      Monte Solberg

      • Windsurfer says:

        YUK.

        Angry old dry western fart from the Calgary School.

        Not once in the 20 times I’ve seen him on TV did he inspire the slightest feeling of warmth or personality.

        Hey, nothing personal, just business.

  3. Iris Mclean says:

    At this point, wouldn’t most “progressives” be hoping he stays on for the next election?

    • !o! says:

      It’s a wash to me– too many uncertainties around a potential leadership race to know in advance how it would play out.

      Personally though I like the sociopathic manipulative tyrant and his band of churlish Hitlerjugend desperately clinging to power amidst the angry catcalls of an increasingly angry and disaffected base narrative.

  4. Al in Cranbrook says:

    IMHO, Brad Wall would win a leadership race, and decisively so.

    Aside from him, and PM Harper, Jason Kenny is probably the most capable, savvy and smartest MP in Ottawa. In a battle of wits and debating skills, he’d kick the hell out of both Mulcair and Trudeau…and do so without breaking a sweat. But still can’t envision him as leader.

  5. .. Jason Kenney .. unelectable .. and lives with Mommy
    .. Peter MacKay .. unelectable .. incompetent, untrustworthy.. nice clothes horse
    .. Jim Flaherty .. unelectable .. Harper Toad .. Harris Toad .. Rob Ford ‘family friend’ .. ugh
    .. James Moore .. unelectable .. Harper Suck Up – Glib Motor Mouth .. will try though
    .. Tony Clement .. unelectable .. don’t make me laugh .. will pretend to be a contender .. ugh
    .. John Baird .. unelectable.. won’t run anyway.. having too much fun.. what a sellout & Harper Suck Up .. deserves a wicked slap

    .. Jim Prentice .. Hmm .. my pick .. he has been building a war chest.. no Harper shite splatter on him ..

    .. Christy Clark .. don’t laugh !! .. won a Majority BC Government.. controls sea routes to China .. good looking to ‘the idiot base’

    .. Stephen Harper – toxic, weak, tainted, uninformed, out of touch, out of tune, secretive, skeletons abound in his multiple closets (hello Ray Novak!) (Hello Stephen Lecce!) (Hello Election Fraud in 247 federal ridings!) (Hello Nigel!) (Hello Afghanistan!) (Hello spying on .. well everyone !!) .. the list drones on ..

    • david ray says:

      on this day of days / I read these names and weep.
      the best of us is gone / his soul to rest in peace

      Kenney. MacKay. Flaherty. Moore. Clement. Baird. Harper. Mandela.

    • Sean says:

      Laurier… unelectable French Catholic
      Diefenbaker… unelectable 5 time loser
      Pearson… unelectable / terrible on TV
      Trudeau… unelectable dilettante
      Chretien… unelectable bad English
      Harper… unelectable secret fascist

      see a pattern?

  6. Kevin Spruce says:

    It must be tantalizing for Harper to stay on for another kick at the can, particularly since he would be running against opponents from Quebec. How much hatred has been heaped on Harper over the years and will it be enough to drive Canadians to voting for Trudeau or Mulcair?

  7. Swervin' Merv says:

    Let’s not forget ambitious Jim Prentice, who was very visible in many media clips at the Con convention in October.

    As for Brad Wall:
    — he doesn’t speak French, and has expressed no interest in giving up his status as big fish in a little pond;
    — he is still needed to keep the Sask. Party on top, with no evident successor after six years in power;
    — he has started to take some heat for those left behind in the provincial boom (including yesterday’s news about Potash Corp. layoffs).

  8. frmr disgruntled Con now happy Lib says:

    “You have sat too long for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!”

    – w/apologies to Oliver C.

  9. Paul says:

    wow their all so awful ..how did they ever win their seats ..now with Mulcair in drivers seat and young Trudeau…Liz May would work ….

  10. Matt says:

    If Harper decided to leave, he couldn’t go immediately could he?

    Who would assume the role of PM until a new leader is chosen?

    There is no Deputy Leader in the CPC. There is no Deputy PM either.

    • Ronald O'Dowd says:

      Matt,

      If they go by precedence, strangely enough its Valcourt. If caucus wants a solid non-contender, that would be Flaherty. But Harper could never stomach not taking on Trudeau. That’s why he’s staying.

  11. Nasty Bob says:

    If those lost but now found PMO emails were to show Harper was a little more willful and a lot less blind to the senate shenanigans and given the steady trickle of layoffs ( at banks even !) , Alberta making squat on the last round of oil leases, etc. , maybe the 2015 election playbook of economy! economy! economy! ain’t looking so good – might be now’s the time to start making plans for a british invasion tribute band world tour ( or collecting fat board of directors per diems, as the case may be)

  12. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    Warren,

    Funny eh but I don’t see Gentleman Jim giving up 2 mil a year just to become the next prime ministerial asterisk…

  13. Kaplan says:

    I’m pretty sure, from my vantage point here in Alberta, that Alison Redford is quietly positioning herself for a run.

    Her first trip as premier was to Toronto.

    Her biggest policy achievement to date was the Canadian Energy Strategy.

    She’s bilingual, and succesfuly courted Liberal and NDP voters here in Alberta. And she can get her elbows up and play dirty with the likes of a well-funded Wildrose Party.

    She has none of the Harper taint on her – in fact, the Cons supported the Wildrose in the last election. Yet her provincial riding sits within Harper’s federal riding. She’s close with powerbrokers like Prentice and the Lougheed-era wing of the PCs.

    I’m not fan of hers, but Redford is definitely the dark horse in whatever race emerges.

  14. Eddie says:

    Jean Charest…

  15. smelter rat says:

    I’m pulling for Rob Anders.

  16. Kev says:

    In order to keep his caucus together, Harper has to be running running running for 2015, until the moment he makes it public that he isn’t.

    This noise about Soudas and a supposed “early election” is about vigorously keeping up that appearance. He can’t afford not to.

  17. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    Kev,

    Does Harper really strike you as a guy who would put fake soldiers in the Pas-de-Calais? Not me. Accurate perception is everything for him — Soudas’ job as Director-General serves to reinforce that. They are battle-ready and have launched a preemptive strike to quash any potential dissent leading into the eventual writ period.

    Throw October 2015 out the window. Harper and Soudas will go before that provided they can generate a polling bounce.

  18. Houland Wolfe says:

    The moment that Harper hears from the RCMP that charges are to be laid against Wright or the Puffster and that he will be called as a witness is the same moment when he resigns. Better to be a former PM testifying under oath than to be the current one. You can take this one to the bank.

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