Threat of defections shifts sands beneath Dion's feet

JANE TABER
SENIOR POLITICAL WRITER; With a report from The Canadian Press
December 4, 2008

The Liberals' chief whip is asking his MPs not to abandon the party as concerns grow about dissatisfaction over Stéphane Dion's leadership.

At a closed-door caucus meeting yesterday morning, Rodger Cuzner said that if rival parties approach MPs about crossing the floor "we want to hear about them first" - a recognition of how fragile things are for the Liberals under Mr. Dion.

A caucus insider said there is growing unease in the party with the accord reached between the Liberals, the NDP and the Bloc Québécois as Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Tories mount a public-relations war against the coalition, which they are characterizing as an alliance with the separatists.

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Peacenik watched all the speechifying last night, and all the punditfest aftermath. Duceppe seemed like the most likeable and sharpest of the bunch. Peacenik would be happy to have him as the front man for the Coalition. Dion did not come across well. Peacenik thinks the Liberals need a new temporary leader. Dion has too much negative baggage. Harper is meeting the GG right now. Peacenik is waiting.

Opposition sets coalition terms

Dion would become prime minister until May, when his successor would take over; NDP pledges to support Liberals for 30 months, Bloc pledges 18 months

JANE TABER , BILL CURRY , CAMPBELL CLARK and STEVEN CHASE
Globe and Mail Update
December 1, 2008 at 5:47 PM EST

OTTAWA — The leaders of the three opposition parties presented their plan to topple Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority government at a press conference in Ottawa late Monday afternoon.

The leaders of the Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Québécois publicly signed a coaltion accord and sent a letter to Governor-General Michaëlle Jean saying the opposition has lost confidence in the Conservatives.

The proposed coalition government between the Liberals and the New Democratic Party would last until June of 2011, but the Bloc is only pledging support for 18 months.

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With events changing by the hour, Peacenik is finding it difficult to prognosticate. But at this juncture, Peacenik assumes that a Dion-led coalition is appointed. Peacenik also assumes the economy goes to hell anyway -- even with a big Liberal/NDP stimulus. Peacenik also projects that Harper will scream that his way would have worked and blames the Liberal/NDP alliance for all problems. The Sheeple agree and Harper gets elected with a huge majority and immediately institutes the Shock Doctrine. Canada then joins Zimbabwe as a world basketcase. Peacenik is having trouble sleeping.