NDP seeks long-term deal with Liberals

OTTAWA — The NDP will seek a long-term agreement to prop up the Liberal government in exchange for a handful of concessions, party officials said today.

Fresh from winning $4.6 billion more for its priorities in return for helping the Liberals survive a confidence vote, the NDP is upping the ante, looking for a wide-ranging deal.

The party inched closer to holding the balance of power in the House of Commons after this week’s Labrador byelection gave the Liberals another seat.

They will use their newfound clout to push the government on NDP priorities such as electoral reform, the environment, and protection for pensioners.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=1117059009528&call_pageid=968332188492

Hmmm...

Martin's pledged to call an election after Gomery reports, so this parliament does not have long to live one way or the other. And I think Martin won't want to put himself in this position, for strategic reasons, before an election.

Probably has more to gain.
If one looks at the popular vote of the NDP in the last election. Add on to that the steady work by the NDP to try and make parliament work and Martin may be trying to show that he is trying also.

On the other hand it might be a way for the NDP to become more acceptable in Quebec.

However, when one looks at the numbers in parliament, the Conservatives and Bloc can still defeat the government. The speaker only gets a vote in a tie breaker. Although the Conservatives have not agreed to having members sit out when another member would be away from parliament I am sure that they would bring that up in any vote where their members could not attend for medical reasons.

I would much more prefer if the Liberals and NDP could somehow manage to decide to only run one candidate in each riding for the next election. I don't know how that would be possible, as at the end of the following parliament each would be trying to win out on the other. However, with the Conservatives with about 1/3 rd of the vote I would hate to see them start implementing all their executive power.

I wish to heck that the red Tories would come out of their shell and start up their party or decide that is it.

I am still of two minds on this because I haven't been able to think of all the angles.

instead of world neocon domination..they surely messed up. The Liberals may have been happy to roll along and make deals of budgets left, right and centre. If the NDP get the deal..the conservatives will get nothing.

Shows you why you should never try and topple a government based on a few weeks of polls. Just how superficial do they think governance is in the minds of Canadians. They will get no respect in central Canada until they show some respect and try to form a government on governance instead of emotional issues. (Then they will have a hard time getting into power because they represent an extreme in Canada). That old conservative party could have been a real threat. The new one? LOL.

I hope the NDP get the deal!