Blue Like You

Archive for October 17th, 2007

- Or if you do, try to stay healthy.

Violence in nursing homes - Marketplace. Nursing homes are not covered by the Canada Health Act.

George Smitherman was interviewed by Marketplace. He obfuscated as usual.

George, someday you’ll be old. Let’s hope the Health Minister in charge tries to keep violent residents away from you; even though mixing them in is more ‘cost effective’.

And try to stay continent.

Well at least that horrible John Tory didn’t get elected! Who knows how badly this province might have deteriorated?

9:30 P.M. - Don Martin - No retreat with honour for Dion. (Harper’s government a majority in all but name.)

4:30 P.M. - Dion supports throne speech - Star.

3:50 P.M. - Dion is speaking in the House now. Globe has this report disclosing a face-saving plan. It’s Jack’s move now.

11:30 A.M. - Breaking news from Newstalk 570 - Liberal insiders have advised that Dion will support the Throne Speech!

National Newswatch - Liberals to bite the bullet on throne speech:

National Newswatch has learned that the buzz circulating among Liberal insiders this hour on Parliament Hill indicates the Liberal Party will not defeat the government on the throne speech.

Star - Dion Won’t Force Vote: MP’s

Here is the big question - What will Stephane Dion’s next move be?

First of all we need to find him. Apparently he’s holed away somewhere pondering his options and will let us know around 3 p.m. this afternoon. Iggy doesn’t see a ‘poison pill’ hidden in the throne speech. He complains of ambiguity, but hello - it’s a throne speech.

I’m listening to Ralph Goodale on Canada AM telling us that Canadians don’t want an election right now, and that the Liberals will have to carefully study their options and do the responsible thing. I hear that as code for a lot of Liberal backbenchers suddenly catching the Parliament flu.

I started nosing around Liblogs to see what advice they were giving their fearless leader, and the prevailing mood seems to be that an election is inevitable. Some would appear to want it sooner than later. (Warning - very gross pic at Liblogs of a diseased mouth. Not good breakfast fare.)

Don Martin seems to be saying that Dion has little choice but to oppose the Throne speech or else risk losing his credibility altogether:

If there’s an election sooner, at least the Liberals can argue they took a principled stand on key issues against a prime minister who was trying to bully his agenda through Parliament.

If they force an election later, after regular bouts of white-flagged capitulation, people will see them as timid and perhaps overcome their fears of the Conservatives as majority rulers.

I would not want to be in Stephane Dion’s shoes today.