NDP recordings proof of power grab, Tory MP alleges

[Praxius]

NDP recordings proof of power grab, Tory MP alleges

Recordings of a private NDP caucus meeting prove opposition efforts to unseat the government aren't linked to the economic downturn but are a simple power grab, says a Conservative MP.

"That's what's so frightening to many Canadians … that we have now a backroom deal between the separatists and the socialist NDP, and we also have the Liberals who might be involved," Pierre Poilievre told CBC Newsworld on Monday.

The Conservatives on Sunday released audio files of a secretly recorded NDP caucus meeting they say was held in the form of a conference call on Saturday.

During the meeting, NDP Leader Jack Layton, referring to the prospect of forming a coalition government with the Liberals, which would need the support of the Bloc Québécois, to replace the Harper government, says:

"This whole thing would not have happened if the moves hadn't been made with the Bloc to lock them in early."

The Tories said they released the recording because it shows the NDP was working very closely with the separatist Bloc Québécois to replace the government long before last Thursday's economic update.

"Canadians want to know what concessions have been made to [BQ Leader]] Gilles Duceppe in order to win his support for this power grab. What concessions on economic policies have been made to the far-left NDP?"

Opposition parties are meeting to hammer out details of a possible coalition if they vote down the minority Conservative government next week. Opposition leaders say Prime Minister Stephen Harper has not taken sufficient action to address the economic downturn.

But Poilievre, who is Harper's parliamentary secretary, said the NDP recordings show efforts to unseat the government started well before the economic update was delivered last week.

"The controversy they've raised about that [economic] update was all just a foil to cover up what is really a backroom deal, " said Poilievre.

NDP deputy leader Thomas Mulcair said the meeting was illegally recorded and broadcast and that the party may take legal action.

In a news release, the party said that according to legal advice it has received, any reasonable person given inadvertent access to the call should have understood that they were not authorized to record it.

The party said possession of the recording could be an offence under the Criminal Code and any recordings should be handed over to the RCMP in the event of an investigation.

The NDP has also asked media outlets to return the recordings.

Not same as 2004: MP

Poilievre rejected suggestions by the NDP that its co-operation with the Bloc was no different than what Conservatives did in 2004. At the time, opposition parties wrote then-Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson noting she could be asked to dissolve Parliament should the Commons defeat the Liberal minority government.

"We respectfully point out that the opposition parties, who together constitute a majority in the House, have been in close consultation," says the Sept. 9, 2004, letter signed by Harper, Duceppe and Layton.

"We believe that, should a request for dissolution arise, this should give you cause, as constitutional practice has determined, to consult the opposition leaders and consider all of your options before exercising your constitutional authority."

Poilievre said the situation is not the same.

"The word 'coalition' never appeared," he said. "It never suggested in the letter that … then opposition leader Harper would become prime minister."

"All it said is that opposition leaders who represent the majority of the House should be consulted before the dissolution of Parliament."

"You can look through all the records, and you will find that Stephen Harper has never even … remotely entertained a coalition with the BQ. "

Kinda funny that all of a sudden any opposition parties decide to have a secret meeting, the conservatives are all over it and sneaking audio recordings of them, while if any of them did that in the past to the conservatives, they'd be sued in 2 minutes..... not to mention the majority of the Conservatives meetings have been tight lipped and their talks closed to the public, it's pretty hypocritical for them to be pulling this conny stunt to make the other parties look bad.

And if I was heading back into another government where the Conservatives are the minority leaders and they show signs of doing exactly what they have been doing since they've been the head hanchos, I'd be planning an escape plan as well if they attempted to continue their corrupt tactics which they did.

And now they're supposed to be the bad guys because they decided to plan ahead? Wow.... what a concept.

Sure beats the Conservative's plans on doing nothing and just forcing your wacky ideas onto every other party and citizen or face another expensive election during poor economic times.

What a joke. Doesn't suprise me that they'd try something as lame as this and release it to the public..... right or wrong, what they did was obviously illegal..... so why did they do it?

Because the average canadian would want to know? Wrong.... .it's fear mongering and if the majority of Canadians who voted didn't vote for the Conservatives in the first place, then forming up a government that has the parties that were voted in collectively above the Conservatives run things makes more sense at this time.

It's either that or we suffer with more of the Conservatives dumb ass methods of pitting everybody againsts each other for their own party's political gains.

If the Conservatives have done their damn jobs in the first place as they should have, we all wouldn't be in this situation to begin with.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

The whole thing, even if true, doesn’t amount to a hill of beans (as Clinton used to say). So NDP was in negotiations with Bloc, where is the problem? Parties talk to each other from time to time, discuss the possibility of coalition. This is nothing more than that. No impropriety is alleged or evident in the conversation.

What conservatives are accusing is that NDP has been in talks with the Bloc for some time. And that comes as a surprise? Contrary to what they are now claiming, Conservatives were involved in exactly the same type of negotiations when Liberals had a minority. Conservatives were not wrong to do so than, and NDP is not wrong to do so now.

Conservatives are grasping at straws. As I said on another thread, Harper’s best chance now is to prorogue the Parliament, negotiate with the opposition and come up with a consensus, compromise budget which will be acceptable to all or at least three of the parties.

The burden of proof is upon him to convince the opposition that he can govern sensibly.

 

[LittleRunningGag]

At the very least the Conservatives are guilty of an ethical breach. At the most, and this is what makes it especially important to find out how they did it, they may be guilty of abusing their power as the Government. Did they use the RCMP to do this? Is it a leak from a NDP / Bloq aid / MP? And did they orchestrate it or were they just recipients.

I'm extremely concerned about what the Tories are willing to do to retain power. Especially considering that they don't seem to have a real plan for our faltering economy.

 

[lone wolf]

Doesn't the guy who evesdropped know his fecal matter stinks too? Does anyone remember a thing called Watergate?

 

[Socrates the Greek]

At the very least the Conservatives are guilty of an ethical breach. At the most, and this is what makes it especially important to find out how they did it, they may be guilty of abusing their power as the Government. Did they use the RCMP to do this? Is it a leak from a NDP / Bloq aid / MP? And did they orchestrate it or were they just recipients.

I'm extremely concerned about what the Tories are willing to do to retain power. Especially considering that they don't seem to have a real plan for our faltering economy.

L.R.G Great day to you, the sick part is that Harper kept on telling Canadians that Deon and the Liberals have no economic plan in place, and the voters who voted for the CHEATING CONS believed that Harper had a plan and turned out that he did not and all he was interested in was for a hopeful majority power grab.....
The Ginny is out of the bottle it is a 98% COALITION Government in Canada.....
The fear mongering that the Block will help to separate Canada is all Con propaganda.......:smile:

 

[scratch]

Hey S.G.,

I like it

regs
scratch

 

[Socrates the Greek]

Hey S.G.,

I like it

regs
scratch

Have a great day.........

 

[Tyr]

I'm extremely concerned about what the Tories are willing to do to retain power. Especially considering that they don't seem to have a real plan for our faltering economy.

Obviously anything... No doubt they have CSIS doing background checks Layton's pet parakeet as we speak

 

[Socrates the Greek]

Harper and his mean spirited agenda have finally been revealed......

Harper playing stupid partisan games have finally done him in.......Once again the Cons will be going in detention.....Harper will soon be looking for a job, and the Canadian people who did not vote for the Con thugs are relived from a rude manipulator......A lire and a cheat.....Harper.....................

First it was Elections Canada on Harpers case, secretly trying to make none Conservative voters pay for the Conservative overspending on the 2006 election..

Then we see Harper looking to create a self made majority, by cutting the financial life line to the opposition, thus forcing all opposition to bankruptcy so the filthy Cons can bring the opposition on an unfair disadvantage making the opposition insignificant.

Then he tells all Government workers if you have a job don’t make any noise, we have revoked your right to strike for 2 years, and what is appalling here is that the Cons had a job and the hypocrites were the first to make noise.

They retracted or blinked from cutting funding to the opposition,
They have retracted from telling BS to the civil servants,
And on top of all they failed miserably telling the people the magic word so people can feel safe in their homes…..

They should be ousted and send back to exile…..


TheStar.com | Canada | Liberals and NDP said to be reviewing coalition deal

 

[DurkaDurka]

Does anyone actually think the Liberals & NDP have a plan for our economy, other then throwing billions to mismanaged auto companies?

 

[LittleRunningGag]

L.R.G Great day to you, the sick part is that Harper kept on telling Canadians that Deon and the Liberals have no economic plan in place, and the voters who voted for the CHEATING CONS believed that Harper had a plan and turned out that he did not and all he was interested in was for a hopeful majority power grab.....

I'm uncomfortable with the term 'cheating cons'. I think its excessive and inflammatory. Honestly, I have no doubt that the Liberal Party is lacking a sound economic plan as well. They, however, are not the governing party. The governing party should be held to a higher standard than those just being critical.

 

[Socrates the Greek]

I'm uncomfortable with the term 'cheating cons'. I think its excessive and inflammatory. Honestly, I have no doubt that the Liberal Party is lacking a sound economic plan as well. They, however, are not the governing party. The governing party should be held to a higher standard than those just being critical.

L.R.G with all do respect, you may be uncomfortable with the term CHEATING CONS, well with all do respect to you, my history tells me that my statement is on the money........That is what they are cheaters, they think that their sh!t don’t smell and today their sh!t dose smell bad, so bad they are about to be removed because they are that and more.....

 

[DurkaDurka]

Are we to forget the sponsorship scandal so quick, Socrates? Take your bloody blinder off for a minute.

 

[Socrates the Greek]

Are we to forget the sponsorship scandal so quick, Socrates? Take your bloody blinder off for a minute.

Good day to you pal, Jean Chrétien never stuffed his pockets with undeclared doe to Revenue Canada, but a well know Con by the name Mr Brown Bags is the nick name did, that was worst then the sponsorship scandal........

 

[Tyr]

Are we to forget the sponsorship scandal so quick, Socrates?


Seemingly,not as quickly as......

The Airbus affair refers to allegations of secret commissions paid to members of the Government of Canada during the term of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, in exchange for then-crown corporation Air Canadas purchase of a large number of Airbus jets

That one was differnet that. Straight cash into the Prime Ministers pocket (although he did have the decency to keep it in a paper bag)

 

[JLM]

NDP recordings proof of power grab, Tory MP alleges



Kinda funny that all of a sudden any opposition parties decide to have a secret meeting, the conservatives are all over it and sneaking audio recordings of them, while if any of them did that in the past to the conservatives, they'd be sued in 2 minutes..... not to mention the majority of the Conservatives meetings have been tight lipped and their talks closed to the public, it's pretty hypocritical for them to be pulling this conny stunt to make the other parties look bad.

And if I was heading back into another government where the Conservatives are the minority leaders and they show signs of doing exactly what they have been doing since they've been the head hanchos, I'd be planning an escape plan as well if they attempted to continue their corrupt tactics which they did.

And now they're supposed to be the bad guys because they decided to plan ahead? Wow.... what a concept.

Sure beats the Conservative's plans on doing nothing and just forcing your wacky ideas onto every other party and citizen or face another expensive election during poor economic times.

What a joke. Doesn't suprise me that they'd try something as lame as this and release it to the public..... right or wrong, what they did was obviously illegal..... so why did they do it?

Because the average canadian would want to know? Wrong.... .it's fear mongering and if the majority of Canadians who voted didn't vote for the Conservatives in the first place, then forming up a government that has the parties that were voted in collectively above the Conservatives run things makes more sense at this time.

It's either that or we suffer with more of the Conservatives dumb ass methods of pitting everybody againsts each other for their own party's political gains.

If the Conservatives have done their damn jobs in the first place as they should have, we all wouldn't be in this situation to begin with.

That red ink is a little hard on the eyes, could you tone it down a touch. ;-)

 

[JLM]

Are we to forget the sponsorship scandal so quick, Socrates? Take your bloody blinder off for a minute.

Just one of a million scandals in all parties and they are suppose to legislate our laws 8O They should all be locked up.

 

[Ron in Regina]

The Leader at the time of the Sponsorship scandal, and "Mr. Brown Bags" are BOTH
criminals. Only one of them has his stink on this overthrow of the current government
though...

 

[Tyr]

No doubt they have CSIS doing background checks Layton's pet parakeet as we speak


Too late!! The parakeet has been apprehended and is being flown to Gitmo for waterboarding 101.

 

[DurkaDurka]

Just one of a million scandals in all parties and they are suppose to legislate our laws 8O They should all be locked up.

Agreed