Jack Layton drew his bottom line for propping up a minority Conservative government today, saying New Democrats won't tolerate gutting medicare or environmental programs and will fight erosion of equality rights and oppose U.S.-led military adventurism.
Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said he's ready to work with any other party in a minority Parliament.
But even if he wins a majority in the House, Tory power would be constrained for some time by Liberal appointees in the Senate, senior federal bureaucracy and the courts, Mr. Harper said.
Running solidly ahead of the Liberals in national polls, Mr. Harper is trying to convince undecided voters in Quebec and Ontario to give him a majority, apparently by addressing concerns that a Conservative government would represent radical change if unchecked.
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For his part, Mr. Layton seems to be tapping into that same unease, suggesting that the NDP has shown in the last minority Parliament it knows how to hold a government accountable.
Liberal Leader Paul Martin was on the West Coast, trying to shore up support for incumbents in Vancouver by showcasing his government's environmental record.
And Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe campaigned in the strongly federalist West Quebec riding of Pontiac, just north of Ottawa.
The Bloc senses that Conservative inroads in Pontiac could split the federalist vote, allowing its candidate to squeeze up the middle.
As well in Quebec, Tuesday, the Conservative campaign got a big boost with an editorial endorsement in La Presse, the largest French-language daily in the province. The paper traditionally supports the Liberals.
The campaign in Quebec is looking more like a two-way battle between the Bloc and the Conservatives as the Liberal fortunes decline sharply outside of Montreal.
Campaigning later in the day in Beauce, a Quebec riding the Progressive Conservatives twice won in the 1980s, Mr. Harper said Quebec voters should make sure they elect Tory MPs so that they have representatives at the table in Ottawa where decisions are made.
Mr. Duceppe said a Harper government would be a "big risk" for Quebec because the Conservatives represent right-wing social and political values that are not shared by most Quebeckers.
Campaigning in Toronto, where his NDP came a disappointing second in a number of ridings in the 2004 election, Mr. Layton told a Board of Trade breakfast that it is time to spell out "some of our bottom lines….
"We won't permit the next Parliament to dismantle Canada's public single-payer health-care system."
Referring to the Kyoto accord to cut greenhouse gas emissions, an agreement the Conservatives would scrap, Mr. Layton said: "We will not permit the next Parliament to gut Canada's environmental responsibilities."
The NDP has warned that the Conservatives would re-open the gay marriage issue and might even try to erode abortion rights.
"We will not permit the next Parliament to erode the civil and equality rights of Canadians," Mr. Layton said.
"We won't permit the next Parliament to commit Canada to foreign military adventures in lockstep with [U.S. President] George Bush."
Repeating a theme that he hopes will sway voters who want a change in Ottawa but are unsure of Mr. Harper, Mr. Layton said: "If you voted Liberal in the past, lend us your vote to make sure the next federal Parliament's priorities are moderate, reasonable and balanced."
And then he warned: "If any political party tries to threaten the integrity of these values and positions in any way, they will witness an unprecedented, sustained, effective and successful campaign mounted in Parliament and by Canadians, led by a strong, experienced and united party."
The NDP Leader said he could work with other parties on a comprehensive ethics package to clean up government, which is what Mr. Harper has said is his highest priority.
Speaking with reporters in Levis, Que., the Conservative Leader said if the voters elect a minority Conservative government "we'll work with other parties … on an issue-by-issue basis."
But Mr. Harper also said there will be pressure on all the parties if there is a minority to make the next Parliament successful.
Asked about concerns some voters might have about an unchecked majority Conservative government, Mr. Harper said: "I'm not sure there is such a thing as a true Conservative majority in the sense of a Liberal majority. The reality is that for some time to come we'll have a Liberal Senate, a Liberal civil service, at least senior levels that were appointed by the Liberals, and courts that were appointed by the Liberals.
"So, these are obviously checks on the powers of a Conservative government," Mr. Harper said.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...17.welsallot0117/BNStory/specialDecision2006/
Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said he's ready to work with any other party in a minority Parliament.
But even if he wins a majority in the House, Tory power would be constrained for some time by Liberal appointees in the Senate, senior federal bureaucracy and the courts, Mr. Harper said.
Running solidly ahead of the Liberals in national polls, Mr. Harper is trying to convince undecided voters in Quebec and Ontario to give him a majority, apparently by addressing concerns that a Conservative government would represent radical change if unchecked.
Advertisements
For his part, Mr. Layton seems to be tapping into that same unease, suggesting that the NDP has shown in the last minority Parliament it knows how to hold a government accountable.
Liberal Leader Paul Martin was on the West Coast, trying to shore up support for incumbents in Vancouver by showcasing his government's environmental record.
And Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe campaigned in the strongly federalist West Quebec riding of Pontiac, just north of Ottawa.
The Bloc senses that Conservative inroads in Pontiac could split the federalist vote, allowing its candidate to squeeze up the middle.
As well in Quebec, Tuesday, the Conservative campaign got a big boost with an editorial endorsement in La Presse, the largest French-language daily in the province. The paper traditionally supports the Liberals.
The campaign in Quebec is looking more like a two-way battle between the Bloc and the Conservatives as the Liberal fortunes decline sharply outside of Montreal.
Campaigning later in the day in Beauce, a Quebec riding the Progressive Conservatives twice won in the 1980s, Mr. Harper said Quebec voters should make sure they elect Tory MPs so that they have representatives at the table in Ottawa where decisions are made.
Mr. Duceppe said a Harper government would be a "big risk" for Quebec because the Conservatives represent right-wing social and political values that are not shared by most Quebeckers.
Campaigning in Toronto, where his NDP came a disappointing second in a number of ridings in the 2004 election, Mr. Layton told a Board of Trade breakfast that it is time to spell out "some of our bottom lines….
"We won't permit the next Parliament to dismantle Canada's public single-payer health-care system."
Referring to the Kyoto accord to cut greenhouse gas emissions, an agreement the Conservatives would scrap, Mr. Layton said: "We will not permit the next Parliament to gut Canada's environmental responsibilities."
The NDP has warned that the Conservatives would re-open the gay marriage issue and might even try to erode abortion rights.
"We will not permit the next Parliament to erode the civil and equality rights of Canadians," Mr. Layton said.
"We won't permit the next Parliament to commit Canada to foreign military adventures in lockstep with [U.S. President] George Bush."
Repeating a theme that he hopes will sway voters who want a change in Ottawa but are unsure of Mr. Harper, Mr. Layton said: "If you voted Liberal in the past, lend us your vote to make sure the next federal Parliament's priorities are moderate, reasonable and balanced."
And then he warned: "If any political party tries to threaten the integrity of these values and positions in any way, they will witness an unprecedented, sustained, effective and successful campaign mounted in Parliament and by Canadians, led by a strong, experienced and united party."
The NDP Leader said he could work with other parties on a comprehensive ethics package to clean up government, which is what Mr. Harper has said is his highest priority.
Speaking with reporters in Levis, Que., the Conservative Leader said if the voters elect a minority Conservative government "we'll work with other parties … on an issue-by-issue basis."
But Mr. Harper also said there will be pressure on all the parties if there is a minority to make the next Parliament successful.
Asked about concerns some voters might have about an unchecked majority Conservative government, Mr. Harper said: "I'm not sure there is such a thing as a true Conservative majority in the sense of a Liberal majority. The reality is that for some time to come we'll have a Liberal Senate, a Liberal civil service, at least senior levels that were appointed by the Liberals, and courts that were appointed by the Liberals.
"So, these are obviously checks on the powers of a Conservative government," Mr. Harper said.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv...17.welsallot0117/BNStory/specialDecision2006/
