Smart. It never made sense to me that Harper would give up his “unnecessary election” talking point this morning, and say he was walking over to Rideau Hall to see the GG. Along with the fact that his statement has now won me a number of bets on which I intend to collect/gloat, he can still say he was the guy who “wanted to make Parliament work,” blah blah blah, and that the Opposition are just politicians who are in it for themselves, blah blah blah.
As I say, smart.
Harper says opposition will have to push him into election; he won’t jump (FedElxn-Harper)
Source: The Canadian Press
Mar 23, 2011 12:19
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he won’t jump into an election; the opposition parties will have to push the government off the cliff.
Asked whether he will ask the Governor General for the dissolution of Parliament and an election, he gave a flat no.
“Our priority is the economy and that will continue to be our focus as long as we’re allowed to make that our focus,” he said.
Harper said the Liberals, NDP and Bloc, who have all pledged to vote against the budget handed down Tuesday, can still change their minds.
“The opposition still have the opportunity to put Canadians’ interests first,” he said. “It is not too late for them to step back.”
He rhymed off a string of measures from the budget, saying they are vital to support a still-fragile economic recovery.
“Our economy is not a political game,” he said.
But Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff wasn’t backing down and was ready to deliver the push into an election.
“We have a responsibility to say quite clearly that this government has lost the confidence of the House of Commons,” he said. “This government has lost the confidence of Canadians.”
He said he’s ready to introduce a non-confidence motion later today and debate it Friday.
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