SOO MAAL Posted May 20, 2005 One vote saves Liberals Peter Milliken casts historic vote to break tie in House of Commons THESTAR.COM STAFF AND CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA — Prime Minister Paul Martin’s Liberals survived a historically narrow confidence test today that may buy the beleaguered minority government a few more months in power. The budget vote averted an immediate election call, and with fewer than four weeks of parliamentary sittings scheduled before the summer break, it appears likely Martin’s fragile minority will last at least until autumn. The prime minister chose to trumpet his razor-thin victory — which was only resolved with help an Independent MP and the unprecedented intervention of the Commons Speaker — as a vindication of the Liberal “vision of Canada.†The prime minister did not mention the stunning defection of a key Tory this week. “This was not just about a budget,†Martin told cheering MPs at a special caucus meeting after the vote. “It was about a vision of Canada. It was about a perspective on the nation.†If so, it’s a nation starkly divided. The vote on the second of two budget bills this evening was deadlocked 152-152, with the Conservatives, Bloc Quebecois and one of three Independents opposed. Speaker Peter Milliken cast the deciding vote, the first time in Canada’s history that a Speaker has broken a parliamentary logjam on a confidence matter. But in reality, the fate of the first minority Parliament in 25 years came down to the support of Independent MP Chuck Cadman. The cancer-stricken B.C. MP’s vote was the only one in doubt by the time the roll was called, and he sided with the government. “I’d like to see everybody get back to work,†the soft-spoken former rock musician from Surrey, B.C., said afterwards. That remains to be seen. Parliamentarians now head into an extended pre-election period that, by Martin’s own timetable, cannot last much beyond January 2006. The prime minister has promised an election within 30 days of a report on the federal sponsorship scandal, expected in December. Until then, Parliament will continue on a knife-edge. After weeks of savage political trench warfare, the Commons decision at best may signal the start of an uneasy truce. Martin immediately rose to suggest the Commons “move forward now in a spirit of co-operation.†He asked Conservative Leader Stephen Harper for a “renewed effort†to make Parliament work. Harper responded ambiguously, but hinted a forced election may not be imminent. The Tories supported the original February budget, helping pass it easily through the Commons in the first of two crucial votes. But a second bill, which added $4.6 billion in spending to the original document in a Liberal deal to secure NDP support, took the government to the brink. Harper, in a carefully crafted address to the Conservative caucus after the vote, called the latter budget victory Pyrrhic, “one that will sow the seeds of its own destruction . . .†“While tonight’s vote is an unfortunate result for this country at the moment, it will provide us Conservatives with persuasive arguments for change when Canadians finally and inevitably head to the polls,†said Harper. A party insider said the Conservatives haven’t decided if they’ll use an opposition day slated for May 31 to again try to topple the government. Much may depend on a May 24 byelection in Newfoundland, which the Liberals are expected to win. That single seat would give Martin breathing room. But the prime minister isn’t waiting around for the byelection result. He delivered a speech to wildly cheering Liberal MPs that easily could have passed for a speech to open the campaign. Martin touched on all the Liberal platform themes of last June, and again made an appeal for civility after several weeks of often desperate Liberal and Conservative procedural and political tactics. The manoeuvring hit a crescendo this week when rookie Conservative MP Belinda Stronach vaulted straight from the Tory front bench into a senior Liberal cabinet post. On Wednesday, a Conservative MP produced partial audio of a surreptitiously taped meeting that he purports showed the Liberals trying to buy his vote with a diplomatic or Senate appointment. The Liberals countered that Gurmant Grewal approached them, grubbing for goodies. The murky tale looked good on neither side. “Now we know it is time to get down to work to earn the confidence of Canadians,†Martin told his MPs. “Tonight we stood up for a balanced budget. Tonight we saw the value of co-operation over conflict. Tomorrow we begin to put tonight’s vote into effect.†But the battle took its toll on both the Liberal government’s legitimacy and Martin’s leadership. His triumphant speech following the deadlocked vote raised eyebrows even in the Liberal caucus. “We won by one vote, the Speaker broke a tie,†said one veteran Liberal. “It’s a humbling experience.†Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SOO MAAL Posted May 20, 2005 A Tie-Breaking Vote Saves Liberal Leader in Canada Sign In to E-Mail This Printer-Friendly Reprints By CLIFFORD KRAUSS Published: May 20, 2005 TORONTO, May 19 - Prime Minister Paul Martin and his Liberal government survived on Thursday evening by a single vote in the House of Commons after limping for months as a result of a party scandal. While the victory in the deeply divided legislature will avert an immediate election, it probably will mean only a brief respite for Mr. Martin from the continuous political troubles that have shaken his ability to improve security and trade relations with the United States and infused new oxygen into the separatist movement in Quebec. The showdown was decided by two of three independent lawmakers who decided to vote with the government on a budget measure, resulting in a 152-152 tie that was broken by Speaker Peter Milliken, a Liberal. The prime minister tried to cast his close call in the best light. "We must move forward now in the spirit of cooperation," he told Parliament immediately after the vote. "We ask the opposition to join with us in a new effort to make this Parliament work for the people of Canada." The clear loser was Stephen Harper, the leader of the Conservative Party, who tried to overthrow the Liberals in alliance with the separatist Bloc Québécois. But he promised to stay on the attack. "Tonight the Liberals won a Pyrrhic victory, one that will sow the seeds of its own destruction, one that will present our party with great opportunity," Mr. Harper said. Switching to French, he added, "I'm embarrassed and I deeply regret that our Parliament has decided this evening to maintain its confidence in a corrupt party." The vote was forced by an opposition angered by a Liberal Party scandal. Testimony in a federal inquiry indicated that Liberal functionaries used advertising companies in a kickback and money laundering scheme to fill party coffers in the 1990's while Mr. Martin was finance minister. The advertising and sponsorship campaign was aimed at increasing federal government exposure in Quebec to thwart separatists. Though Mr. Martin has insisted that he knew nothing about the suspected illicit campaign financing, he has been kept off-balance and weak since he took power in late 2003. To survive, he has been forced to veer left to secure the base of his party and win support from a smaller leftist party, forcing him in recent months to raise social spending and to abandon his pledge to join President Bush's missile defense program. The confidence vote was the climax to weeks of heated exchanges, parliamentary filibustering and the specter of constitutional crisis. The spectacle on the floor of House of Commons of members accusing one another of covering up criminal acts and questioning their patriotism served to elevate voter cynicism and rattle the Canadian dollar. Mr. Martin has struggled since taking power almost two years ago to develop a consistent set of policies and focused objectives. But he showed more creativity in his efforts to survive. He rewrote his budget, adding billions in social spending to attract 19 votes of the social democratic New Democratic Party. Then he directly appealed to Canadians on national television by apologizing for the scandal and pleading for patience. He said that he would call an election soon after the investigating commission completed its work at the end of the year and that it would be wrong for voters to jump to conclusions before they weighed all the evidence. Polls showed that his pitch was effective in persuading people to wait a few more months before rejecting his government. Many also appeared persuaded that they could have better roads and bridges, more day care services, cleaner air and water and more housing for the homeless if the Liberals had a chance to pass their budget before an election was held. Nevertheless, the government appeared doomed to fall until Tuesday when Belinda Stronach, a leading moderate member of the Conservative Party, defected to the Liberals in return for a cabinet seat. She said that she was uncomfortable with Conservative social and environmental positions, and that she thought her party had made a dangerous alliance with the Bloc Québécois that might not only overthrow the government but also threaten the unity of the country. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miriam1 Posted May 20, 2005 Yep it was one helluva vote, anyone saw the dramatic turn of the camera when the independant mp no one was sure of got up, lol it was pure suspense. And all that stuff about Parish being sick and the other MP getting a "heartattack" i love the canadian politics in action. Question period is great, makes u almost believe in a democracy. SO the liberals won. they should have. THe Conservatives are wack for POWER, and the Bloc Quebois have an agenda of thier own . Did i say i love Jack Layton..the man is a true politican, glad i voted for him. took on a great opportunity and brought foward a bill that will help out the average guy. All in all Stephen Harper is Evil. Bloc Quebois leader is dillusional( he'll never get his own francphone country!) and Paul Martin close to a mental breakdown...the country should be left to Jack Layton....! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SOO MAAL Posted May 20, 2005 Again Canada proved its democratic values; it was hard test for Canadian government and parliament. Anyways, its good news that the minority Canadian government (combines ruling liberal party with the support of kingmaker NDP party) survived with only one vote. Canadians expressed in numerous polls their unwillingness for another federal election in a less than year. Additionally, the Canadian opposition party (the conservative party) adopted extremely right-wing policies, which is unpopular among the majority of Canadians. And what’s upsetting Canadians is that the conservative party made alliance with Bloc Quebois party – a separatist in the province of Quebec. Although, the Somali government have the support of the majority of Somali MPs (152 of 275 MPs) had difficult time to ratify its agenda, while the Canadian government succeeded to pass its budget plan with only by a single vote in the House of Commons. In addition, the Canadian opposition MPs will not hold another rival parliamentarian session to form a new government or implement their agenda, like Somali opposition MPs. What’s the problem with the Somali parliamentarians is it because Somalia is not a developed and industrialized nation, or is it because Somali MPs have lower intellectual capacity and educational background. The Somali MPs should accept the democratic process and the decision of the majority of Somali MPs. as well find a common ground and work toward the betterment of Somalia. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
