Opposition parties bring down Stephen Harper government; spring election expected

by Yolande Cole on March 25th, 2011 at 11:14 AM

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Canadian voters will be heading to the polls this spring, after federal opposition parties passed a historic nonconfidence motion against the Harper government in the House of Commons today (March 25).

Liberal, NDP and Bloc Quebecois MPs voted in favour of a Liberal motion finding the government in contempt of Parliament at about 11:15 a.m. PST.

A House of Commons committee found the government in contempt of Parliament earlier this week for failing to provide details on the cost of fighter jets, a series of crime bills and projections of corporate profits and tax rates.

The motion tabled by Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff Friday in Parliament stated: “That the House agrees with the finding of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs that the Government is in contempt of Parliament, which is unprecedented in Canadian Parliamentary history, and consequently, the House has lost confidence in the Government.”

“A government that breaks the rules and conceals facts from the Canadian people does not deserve to remain in office,” Ignatieff said in the House of Commons this morning.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to meet with the Governor General on Saturday to ask that Parliament be dissolved, which would trigger the country’s 41st election campaign. It's anticipated the vote will take place in early May.

In a statement released this afternoon, Harper stated he will meet with the governor general to "take the only course of action that remains." The motion garnered 156 votes of support, while 145 MPs voted against it. It marks the first nonconfidence motion in Canadian history to find the government in contempt of Parliament.

Comments

15 Comments

James Carville

Mar 25, 2011 at 11:42am

Harper got what he wanted.
he snookered the opposition into call forcing an election where the Conservatives have a 19 point lead in the polls.
Many things can happen in 38 days and of of them may be that the Conservatives win the election by a slim majority.
This means that Mr. Harper will then put into action all the plans he was too scared to implement with a minority government.
Mr Ignatieff, Mr. Layton, and Mr. Duceppe will face some pressure within their respective caucus' to step down.
If that happens you can expect Mr. Harper to call an election in 3 years, which he will also win. ( which will give him 12 years as PM).
In 7 years from now maybe Justin Trudeau will have the experience to lead the party to a slim majority.
I just hope Harper stops and his cabinet learn to speak French without butchering the language.

Timothy Mahone

Mar 25, 2011 at 11:45am

I'll vote for whoever promises to abolish the penny!

Steve Y

Mar 25, 2011 at 12:00pm

I think Ignatieff is tired of Canada already. Being opposition leader is hard so he wants to get fired right away so he can move back to the US.

CanUCit

Mar 25, 2011 at 12:20pm

I'm in contempt of Canadians. Canadians voted for Harper and his slimy contingent in the first place. Who are you misguided people?? The Liberals have proven in the past to be just as corrupt; at least though they don't envision Canada in the backward way that the Reformers do. In my mind, the current politicians-who-stole-the-name-Conservative are no better than the Ku Klux Klan, have proven to be fiscally extremely unconservative ($40 billion for jails and jets???), and are as potentially dangerous as any nascent fascist party. I don't support party politics at all, and if I can't find anyone relatively decent in comparison to vote for this election (any independents out there?), I'm spoiling my ballot.

Harper got what he wanted?

Mar 25, 2011 at 12:41pm

Harper's government takes the fall and is found in contempt of parliament.
It is difficult to picture the prime minister, or any politician for that matter who would want to be found in contempt of Canadian's government.
What does it mean to be truly Canadian? Where you born here? Iggy was born in Canada but it is said by 2034 over 50% of the population will be Asian and to have immigrated here in the last decade. I know a great many Canadians who have lived in other countries but you can't take Canada away from them, no way.

Argulion

Mar 25, 2011 at 12:57pm

Voter apathy is something political parties rely on. Ignore the polls and advertising, pick your best choice for candidate and get out and vote.

If all votes were cast there would likely be no minority governments and we wouldn't be having all these partial term elections done by choice or consequence.

ex-Haney guy

Mar 25, 2011 at 1:34pm

Finally!! Here's our chance to get rid of a american-wanabe dictator. Extreme-right-wing antisocial hidden social policies
just didn't get through with a minority, let's not give them a chance to ruin a sweet little country. Corporate tax cuts don't help small businesses-the real free enterprisers- contempt of parliament-not even Trudeau did that-is just disrespectful of Canadian citizens; secret deals like the Security and Prosperity Partnership-he's a monster. Will the Main stream
Media report anything that isn't in the Conservative's interest,
like they did with Gordo? ( like his "assistant" Lara Daulphenee-never reported),Harpo's possible shaky marrige
This federal government is not driven at any cost by simple
greed. They're foxes in the chicken coop.
Go vote! It's a democratic right!
There are people risking their lives to get what we have already-ask them how much of an "inconvenience" it is to vote-compared getting right to.
Let's not give away our country through indolence.

Steve Y

Mar 25, 2011 at 5:15pm

Finally! These long months since the last time we had a election in Canada. At long last we have the freedom to choose amongst the same people we had to choose from last time. Canada's long winter is almost over...

glen p robbins

Mar 25, 2011 at 5:17pm

Just so we are clear on this from the start:

Ipsos Reid: Conservatives (43%), Liberals (24%), NDP (16%), Bloc (10%)

"Expert" Barry Kay of Wilfred Laurier U in Ontario says Ipsos, Nanos, Harris Decima polls equal 151 seats for Harper and Conservatives "Heading to Majority"

During the same period ROBBINS Sce Research (1998) says:

Conservatives (34%), Liberals (28.5%), NDP (18%), Bloc (9%).

ROBBINS predicted Harper minority in December 2005 on National radio (we've got a pollster from BC who says Harper is going to win a minority-phone in and talk to him-ha),

Predicted Bush over Kerry (Angus Reid picked Kerry) published AP-CP on Phillip Till CKNW 2004. Till laughed at me. Predicted Obama over Hillary in January 08 (published AP-CP) - everyone laughed.

-Still crazy after all these years-