As usual, Layton Hugs Cons, Blasts Libs

[Bragi]

Sectarian vote-splitter Jack Layton once again (below) reassures Harper that the NDP's commitment to centre-left disunity remains strong, and signals that he is keen to help Harper set the stage for a strong, conservative majority in the next election. Way to go Jack.

- B

A common foe
BILL CURRY

Ottawa -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper and NDP Leader Jack Layton met yesterday and managed to find common ground: They both agree the Liberals have a bad attitude.

During separate news conferences, the two leaders each took a shot at the Liberals for indicating they will vote to defeat the government if they do not get their way.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060324.HARPERSIDE24/TPStory/National

[tuvor]

1. That opinion depends on where you choose to pick your cherries, bragi.

You missed this tree:

Layton warns PM not to scrap day care plan

OTTAWA -- NDP Leader Jack Layton has spelled out his priorities for the coming session of Parliament, paving the way for a clash of child-care agendas that could topple Prime Minister Stephen Harper's fledgling minority government.

Even so, Layton adopted a conciliatory tone Thursday after a meeting with Harper to outline what New Democrats want to see in the April 4 throne speech: promises to increase day-care spaces, protect the public health-care system, reduce pollution and reform the electoral system.

Layton said his party, unlike the Liberals, is determined to make Parliament work and will not oppose the government for the sake of opposing. He refused to get drawn into threats about defeating the government if Harper ignores opposition priorities, preferring to wait and see.

(snip)

"Mr. Harper seems to be willing to at least consider the ideas that we presented,'' Layton said. ``Let's see where it goes.''

Still, Layton signalled that child care could be a make-or-break issue.

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=2da934c0-aac2-489e-85cb-ef49321c98af&k=76456

Is Layton "hugging cons" here? Your "as usual" rhetoric would appear to be a bit myopic.

[Bragi]

2. Ah, yes...

If child care was "a make-or-break issue" for the NDP, then Jack would be demanding a continuation of the fed-prov child care deal that Dryden negotiated, except that would not help foster the artifical division he wants to maintain between NDP and Liberals. So, instead, Jack will find some way to support Harper's baby-bonus approach to child care, while at the same time condemning the Liberals for, I dunno, maybe for not having negotiated their fed-prov deal earlier.

Or something like that.

NDP partisans, meanwhile, will pretend that Jack's political anti-Liberal posturing and eventual support for Harper on this issue is principled, and that it serves some great cause beyond just helping to promote a divided centre-left voting divide in the next election that the NDP needs to keep the handful of seats it presently has, or maybe even gain one or two.

That this will also result in Harper electing the majority that he needs so he can reshape Canada in ways that most Canadians don't want, and that most NDP supporters abhor, is but an unfortunate and trivial byproduct of the strategy. The important thing for NDP partisans is that their electoral sucess requires maintaining divisions within Canada's centre-left majority.

So what part of this political farce is not self-evident to any sentient observer?

- B

[Minstrel Boy]

3. "They both agree the Liberals have a bad attitude."

Perhaps they lurk on this board.

[HEyHEY]

4. It's the liberals that are hell bent on a left split

[V. Kid]

5. I think it's horrible that Jack Layton isn't attacking Harper...

...as we speak, with some sort of a hockey stick or a stale doughnut (from Tim Horton's of course!). That sectarian, left splitting traitor. As Senato(...oh I've been told that didn't happen yet cause PMPM didn't get re-elected...) anyways as Buzz Hargrove has so intellgently pointed out Paul Martin is more left-wing then Jack Layton, more progressive. Etc. I know the NDP sectarian enablers on this board will try to claim that Jack Layton is being reasonable, but they're just lying to themselves and anyone who reads their posts. Yet more Jack Layton trickery.

<P.S. that was avec dripping sarcasm>

[V. Kid]

6. I geuss when your policies as a majority goverment are...

...so similar. And when the two parties are just as corrupt, they gotta have a wedge.