I'm NOT a particular fan of Harper but I fail to see what he's done that is so nefarious lately.
JLM, the problem was that the financial statement did not contain any economic stimulus. All the other parties strongly support the stimulus, even to the extent of bringing down the government.
Personally, I am not sure if a stimulus will be effective at this stage, I am ambivalent about the subject. However, what I am not ambivalent about is the fact that Harper royally screwed up the financial statement. He delivered the statement as if he had just won a landslide victory. Considering his minority status, he should have consulted the opposition parties, tried to bring them all together and come up with the statement that would be acceptable to all the parties (or at least three out of four).
Imagine what effect such a statement would have had on the economy. It would have increased Harper’s stature as a statesman, as a master politician, who can negotiate deals with the various factions involved. It also would have told the economic community that politicians are united, are serious in fighting the economic turmoil. It would have soothed the markets, the economy.
As it is, Harper has screwed things up big time. If his government falls, that will lead to uncertainty big time, and that cannot be good for the economy. This was one instance where it was incumbent upon Harper to act as a statesman, rather than as a politician. He failed miserably.