He voted against the BUDGET.
End of story.
And I for one don't care what Williams does. At the VERY worst, the Conservatives stand to lose 9 seats in ALL of the Maritimes. Williams is a demagogic tempest in a minuscule teapot.
9 seats. And the Conservatives will not lose them all. So even 'politics' in this instance does not override principle.
If the Liberals could afford to write off Alberta's 19 seats for decades and still succeed, I think that the calculation made by the PM is perfectly valid. And the 'right' thing to do as well.
You cannot vote against the BUDGET, and continue to be a member of the Party. Now perhaps if Casey had kept a more 'discreet' profile while disagreeing, and simply abstained regretfully, from the vote on a matter of principle, things might now be different.
But he did not,and they are not.
He be gone and he stay gone. Even if elected as an 'Independent' he will be merely a powerless pawn in the Commons. No possible bacon to bring home any longer. He would be wise not to bother.
He voted against the BUDGET.
End of story.
And I for one don't care what Williams does. At the VERY worst, the Conservatives stand to lose 9 seats in ALL of the Maritimes. Williams is a demagogic tempest in a minuscule teapot.
9 seats. And the Conservatives will not lose them all. So even 'politics' in this instance does not override principle.
If the Liberals could afford to write off Alberta's 19 seats for decades and still succeed, I think that the calculation made by the PM is perfectly valid. And the 'right' thing to do as well.
You cannot vote against the BUDGET, and continue to be a member of the Party. Now perhaps if Casey had kept a more 'discreet' profile while disagreeing, and simply abstained regretfully, from the vote on a matter of principle, things might now be different.
But he did not,and they are not.
He be gone and he stay gone. Even if elected as an 'Independent' he will be merely a powerless pawn in the Commons. No possible bacon to bring home any longer. He would be wise not to bother.
I agree... I think Mr. Harper went a little overboard on this one. I'm sure there could have been a better middle ground, but all in all, I don't think it will cost us a whole lot.
Posted at 2007-10-13 10:23:36 [PermaLink]And had PMSH softened up to Casey's 'hostage taking' stunt, you can bet your bottom dollar, the scene would have been repeated.
And if you doubt that, look at Garth. He went ballistic over 'floor crossing' without a bi-election.
Then he crossed the floor without a bi-election. Once MPs take a stand against their own party, it's all about me me me me, toss them out.
The fact that anyone outside of NL would give more than 1 second to Hugo Williams does not speak well for the maritimes.
Posted at 2007-10-13 16:37:12 [PermaLink]The CPC used to believe in a lot of crazy crap:
"A Conservative Government will make all votes free, except for the budget and main estimates.
A Conservative Government will support the election of senators. The Conservative Party believes in an equal Senate to address the uneven distribution of Canada’s population and provide a balance to safeguard regional interests."