Speech from the Throne - Liveblogging Choices
The economy promises to be The Issue in the throne speech today. Kady O’Malley will be liveblogging as will Shane Dingman at the Post. I’m sure there are more livebloggers out there.
The Post also had a seating diagram available for your politically junkified pleasure.
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1:45 pm Update: - If you’re getting bored waiting for the Throne Speech, please make sure you check out the Kelly McParland link from the previous post. I read it over a second time and there really is a lot to think about.
McParland seems to cast management in the role of the ‘enabler’:
…The disease that afflicts the North American auto industry appears to be shared equally by management and labour alike. For decades, labour has made steadily escalating demands, building a package of pay and benefits for themselves that was as unsustainable as it was enviable.
In the process, they established themselves as the aristocracy of organized labour. Jobs with car companies became pretty much the gold standard for lesser unions to aspire to. Generation after generation would sign on with the same firm to work in the same plant, raising their kids in turn on the security of a job at Ford or Chrysler or GM. When politicians or labour bosses spoke of "good jobs," they were generally referring to the sort enjoyed by auto workers.
Management conspired to bring about this state of affairs by its short-sightedness and reluctance to face the pain and short-term damage a showdown with labour would entail …
There are many more pithy observations. Definitely worth the read.
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Media reports now available on the Throne Speech:
Throne speech focuses on Financial Crisis - Canoe.
Throne Speech Underway, focused on managing economy - CTV.
3 pm - Robert Fife is on CTV right now slagging Jack Layton for his attitude in a scrum after the Throne Speech. Fife said something about Layton being ‘irresponsible’ because he said he’ll vote against it without any further consideration. I’ll try to get a link up soon. However, CTV is updating the previous link with reaction from the leaders. MDL should be interesting tonight.
In any case - Same old, same old. *Yawn*
Update: From my friend Jackie: "Give me more money!" - Erwin Gerrits.
November 19th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Note to Jack Layton and the NDP - THE ELECTION IS OVER!
Seriously Joanne the minute that guy opened his mouth, not only did he qualify himself for being the one to prove himself unable to work together with the others for the sake of Canadians in challenging times, he seems to have learned nothing at all.
Good for Fife for sticking to him, because quite frankly Layton’s comments show he’s really not getting it.
Duceppe wasn’t much better - but I never pay attention to him anyway. He doesn’t care about Canada.
I thought Dion’s comments humble and still spirited in places, but how opportune was it that Duffy did the Bob Rae interview just ahead of the Throne Speech. Rae actually seemed to say all the right things….because Duffy sure soaked it up.
Anything from the Iggy camp? It they’re still going after Harper, and take the low road, it will make Rae and LeBlanc seem more willing to get things done in a cooperative way.
November 19th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I thought Dion’s comments humble and still spirited in places, but how opportune was it that Duffy did the Bob Rae interview just ahead of the Throne Speech. Rae actually seemed to say all the right things….because Duffy sure soaked it up.
Sol, I agree with your about Dion. He seems ready to stem the rhetoric and get on with things.
Regarding Rae - Anyone But Iggy.
November 19th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
“Duceppe wasn’t much better - but I never pay attention to him anyway. He doesn’t care about Canada.”
Why does this man get as much air time as he does? It is time they stop interviewing him, for any value that he places on matters of, Canada.
I thought it rather embarrassing both yesterday and today, the lack of respect in the HoC during traditional ceremonies. Chatter etc and with new MPs having their first experience a bit disappointing for me to watch.
Rae, just talked and talked and talked…..
The pointing out of, Justin Trudeau experiencing his first throne speech and NOT any of the other new MP’s? TACKY! (at least I did not hear any reference to any of the others)
They are going to bicker like they did before…mark my words.
November 19th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Mr “Jackal” and Mr “Hide”. Nothing is ever good enough for Taliban Jack. He is “all commie all the time”.
“I will co-operate ONLY if we have a socialist revolution and the proletariat tax paying middle class ascends to My Way and the kitchen table”
November 19th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Can Canadians write directly to the Speaker of the House and air their views? It may be one way to start impressing on him that same old, same old will not be accepted by taxpayers any longer.
I just had a look at the CBC report of the Throne Speech. You don’t want to know how the usual suspect twisted it to look bad on the government and scare folks with more of the oatmeal Layton was forcing upon us today.
November 19th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
P.S. - and now on MDL we have Iggy suggesting that the gov’t misled folks during the election re: running a deficit.
Need we remind him that both the PM and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said essentially exactly the same thing about this being a challenging time and that it’s either file a deficit or cut programs. Someone should fire back at Iggy whether he’d rather a cut in programs to families? And why is it ok for Mcguinty, his provincial liberal cousin to suggest a deficit but not ok should the feds. need to lapse into a deficite. Simply another case of Liberal double standard. Mr. Ignatieff still comes off badly, maybe the camera just doesn’t like this guy, I don’t know but I’m not sure.
It’s a damn good thing Canadians didn’t vote for the Green Shift isn’t it.
November 19th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
If any politician,banker,CEO, economist or Joe Blow, from Main Street, suggest that ANYONE predicted the enormity of this economic crisis, they are LIARS.
Why are they liars, because it is like the cliche, I would not wish this on my worst enemy. Something as catastrophic as this, would have been heard by someone and it wasn’t. This situation is unprecedented. So listening to the BS from some on MDL is pure soap opera and irresponsible in my view.
Check out Stephen Taylor’s Blog with some analysis. It gives some insight that one does not get otherwise.
November 19th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Duceppe wants those culture cuts restored. Boo hoo, make more of them, cut the cbc budget, how about all funding to the SOWs, legal aid for those facing deportation, Sell the Speakers farm, and put all money saved toward avoiding a deficit. Freeze all hiring and pay and benefits for unions across Canada. Fire all posties on strike and decertify their union.
And, tell Duceppe that Quebec in only one province and the other nine provinces do not have to bend to what they want.
Duceppe does not speak for the government and Que voters turned their backs on PMSH-don’t expect special treatment again.
Funny how Charest is saying a majority is necessary for him, but wasn’t necessary for PMSH.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
RE: Auto industry
I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around this. *We*, the Canadian consumer decided that *we* didn’t want to buy products GM, Chrysler or Ford were offering so therefore *we* the Canadian taxpayer should give them money. Basically, I’m “buying” a GMChryslerFord even if its not sitting in my driveway.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
I have an idea which I think the MSM won’t mind. how about taliban Layton take over running Canada. What do you think.
The liberals are still blaming mulroney for the deficit yet no one in the MSM is blaming the liberals for the ADSCAM, the eight year balance where they took money from every province education, health military you name it and which the MSM seem it is of no problem.
If the liberals had not stolen we would have attended to the problems faced today. Looks to me that the MSM are not interesting attacking the liberals for the return of the millions., so we can pay for certain needs. why is that folks.
November 20th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Annie, great comment about the auto industry! If any kind of bailout occurs, I think every taxpayer should get an automatic 50% discount on a Canadian-made vehicle.
I find this disturbing too. Don’t quite understand the ramifications, but it sounds to me like the Ontario taxpayer could be on the hook:
“…GM is the only company in Ontario that is permitted to make annual payments into the province’s Pension Benefits Guarantee Fund instead of being required to finance its pensions on a solvency basis.
GM became eligible to do that in the early 1990s when the Canadian units of the Detroit Three and steel makers Algoma Steel Inc. and Stelco Inc. were granted relief from onerous pension payments in part because the government agreed they were too big to fail.
A senior Ontario government official said the province is aware of GM’s pension shortfall and it will be taken into account in negotiations over providing assistance to the auto industry. The government has not yet seen the auto maker’s books…”
Does anyone understand what’s going on here?