Government survives two confidence votes

[Spazito]

OTTAWA - By a razor-thin margin, Paul Martin's minority government survived a confidence vote late Thursday afternoon, staving off a snap election.

With the support of Independent MP Chuck Cadman, the House voted evenly 152 to 152 on Bill C-48, an amendment to the budget that adds $4.6 billion in social program spending an delays corporate tax cuts.

That left Speaker of the House Peter Milliken, who is a Liberal MP, to break the tie and vote for the budget. The Speaker only votes in the event of a tie.

If the amendment had failed, Martin would have asked the Governor General to dissolve Parliament and call a general election likely for the end of June, only a year after the last election, in June 2004.

more

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/05/19/second-confidence050519.html

(Just putting it on the record for posterity, lol)

[Pierre Trudeau]

1. history has been made, too...

I believe this is the first time ever that the Speaker of the House has voted to break a tie on a confidence motion.

Well, all's well, as far as I'm concerned. No one I know wants another election, Harper gets a smackdown, and maybe the parliament can now get down to actually accomplishing something. (pause again for hysterical laughter)

[Spazito]

2. Re: history, you are absolutely right!

It was the first time for a speaker to vote on such a motion.

I, too, want them to get back to work, expedite the passage of the budget through the Senate and get the badly needed funding out to the communities. Thanks to the NDP for those additional badly needed funds!

[Jack Rabbit]

3. The Prime Minister will be sending a dozen roses each to the following:

Chuck Cadman
Carolyn Parrish
Jack Leyton
Belinda Stronach

Any disagreements there?

[Spazito]

4. Not a one! Seems like a VERY astute list!

*

[Mother Jones]

5. It REALLY bothers me to hear people bashing them.

With the exception of Belinda, each did this based on the budget amendment itself, and/or allegiance to their constituents, NOT because they have any affinity for this liberal govt or Martin. (IMO)

Harpey and his supporters can't see how great this is for us, the people of this country?

Deals are made as part of a functioning minority govt. This one helps our cities - housing, transit. Our KIDS care and education for christsake! Not to mention helping those less fortunate abroad.

If there is ANYTHING critical to be said, it should be that perhaps we've always been able to afford to spend more on social programs, without going into debt.
We HAVE an election coming up, but in the meantime our govt has been able to do a wonderful thing for us.

What in the world is so wrong with that?

[Telly Savalas]

6. It could be argued that even Stronach crossed the aisle...

out of allegiance to her constituents. Residents of Newmarket and Aurora stand to gain as much from the passage of the budget as anyone else. Furthermore polling numbers from Ontario pointed to the public being averse to a spring election, and there's no reason to believe that Belinda's riding was an exception to this.

I agree that this is a great deal. The budget represents how I'd like to see the minority government work: the fiscal prudence of the Liberals mixed with the passion for social progress of the NDP. (I'm impatient with the grits on a lot of fronts, but ya gotta give 'em respect for their ability to balance the books.)

[Mother Jones]

7. Agreed....however,

She needed only to declare herself as an independent to satisfy her constituents, who didn't want an election.

Taking a cabinet position with the Liberals paints her, IMO, as opportunistic. (or stickin it to Harpey, or both)

While I'm thrilled at her timing, as a red-liberal, I'm worried about what all the defectors from the Cons. is doing to this liberal party. I don't think it's good news.
(unless we keep them in a minority position, with the NDP as official opposition)