The report continues, “While experts say the Governor General has always approved requests from the prime minister to prorogue Parliament, they note that the vice-regal envoy has never encountered a request so soon after an election. The Conservatives were re-elected on Oct. 14. Mendes says Parliament should pass legislation to prevent abuse of the prorogation in the future.‘I think that this is a very dangerous precedent,’ said Mendes. ‘It's one, however, that could be curtailed by Parliament itself, passing legislation to prevent future prime ministers from seeking prorogation…[to limit] what a future prime minister can do.’”

This CBC article can be read at http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/04/constitution-expert.html.

Back on November 29, the Globe and Mail reported that, "Constitutional experts say the brief lifespan of the current federal government obliges Governor-General Michaëlle Jean to give the opposition parties a chance at power should the Conservatives fall...Because the last federal election was held just six weeks ago, experts say the Governor-General is obligated by precedent to let the opposition parties form a government if they can prove they have the confidence of the House of Commons...Louis Massicotte, an expert in governmental affairs who has advised the Chief Electoral Officer, said Friday that 'there is an overwhelming case for an election not to be granted in the present circumstances.' If the Conservative government is defeated the week after next, that will be during the first sittings of the new Parliament, he said. 'I have literally dozens of precedents on my side taken from British history and from Canadian history and the parliamentary history in the Canadian provinces,' Mr. Massicotte said. 'They suggest that whenever a government is defeated during the first sittings of a new Parliament, the practice is that there will be no election.'"

This Globe and Mail article is at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081128.wGG29/BNStory/politics/home.

On December 3, the Canadian Press reported that, "The Liberal-NDP coalition should get a chance to govern if the Conservatives are defeated in the House of Commons, former governor general Ed Schreyer said Wednesday...He said the coalition, which is poised to defeat Stephen Harper and his Conservatives on Monday, would then have a legitimate claim to power." The former governor general said, "The ground rules of fair play, constitutional fair play and propriety are clear...We are a parliamentary democracy. And governments are elected according to whether or not they have and are able to maintain the confidence of a majority in Parliament. And if we are to remain a parliamentary democracy, then the parliamentary will must not be ignored, nor must it be avoided or evaded...The fundamentals are clear. Parliament must not be thwarted."

The full Canadian Press article can be read at http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9009648.html.

Broadbent continues, "Beginning last week, Mr. Harper has sought to avoid a legitimate vote of confidence and its unpleasant consequences not by sober or even merely partisan constitutional arguments but, culminating in Wednesday's television address, by a barrage of deliberately gross distortions. He is turning a serious dispute over the need for immediate economic stimulus into an unrelated and dangerous matter of national unity."

"Now, for the first time in our history, we have a prime minister prepared to set a fire that we may not be able to put out, for the paltry purpose of saving himself from a confidence vote on Monday. In almost every sentence, paragraph and page coming from Mr. Harper, his ministers and Conservative MPs, we're getting distortions intended to delegitimize a democratically formed coalition, proposed in accordance with normal parliamentary practices, between the Liberals and the NDP. Consider the following falsehoods that he, his ministers and their party are spreading:

1. The Bloc is part of the Liberal-NDP coalition. It's not. But it is providing needed stability by signing an agreement not to bring down the coalition during its first 18 months. Mr. Harper has relied on the Bloc 14 times in votes, and twice on budget ones.

2. The Bloc was promised six Senate seats. The Bloc, of course, is opposed to the Senate. No such offer exists.

3. According to Mr. Harper, the Canadian flag did not appear behind Stéphane Dion, Jack Layton and Gilles Duceppe during their press conference. This is false. The flag was visibly there.

4. The Bloc would have a veto on all the actions of the coalition government. False. The Bloc did not ask for, and was not given, such a veto. In fact, its agreement not to bring down the coalition means the opposite is true.

5. Mr. Harper and his supporters are calling all 'sovereigntists' in Quebec 'separatists.' Although a great number of Quebeckers would call themselves 'sovereigntists,' a large majority of them are certainly not separatists."

Broadbent concludes, "Instead of following constitutional precedent and allowing a democratic confidence vote to take place when it should, we have a power-hungry man who will be recorded as the first prime minister in Canada's history to deliberately create a political crisis and set the fire of national disunity."

The full op-ed can be read at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081204.wcobroadbent05/BNStory/politics/home.

While the polling results are significantly different in Quebec and indicate a deep division in the country, they also suggest the strong possibility that the Conservatives could secure a majority government if the election were held today.

Rather than a chastened Harper government, some media commentary suggests that Mr. Harper may actually be emboldened by this situation.

While the Council of Canadians continues to support the call for a coalition government, the implications of these results and this past week may be an election within the year, the Liberals moving to dump Stephane Dion before their leadership convention on May 2, and a renewed role for civil society to push for key gains (a Canadian energy strategy, a national water policy and more) that have the broad support of Canadians.

STRATEGIC COUNSEL
The Globe and Mail reports that, "Stephen Harper steered his Conservative Party to strong gains in national support during this week's unprecedented political crisis, but he sustained severe losses in Quebec and does not enjoy the trust of almost half of Canadians, a new poll shows."

Oppose the coalition - 58%
Support the coalition - 37%
Don't know - 5%

Is the coalition bid democratic or undemocratic?
Undemocratic - 48%
Democratic - 45%
Other - 7%

Shut down Parliament - 44%
Coalition government - 25%

How would Canadians vote today?
Conservatives - 45%
Liberals - 24%
NDP - 14%
Bloc - 10%
Greens - 8%

Who is responsible for the current situation?
Opposition parties - 46%
Conservatives - 39%
Both sides - 9%
Other - 6%

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081204.wPOLpoll1205/BNStory/politics/home?cid=al_gam_mostview

EKOS POLL
The CBC reports that, "The Conservatives appear to have won the initial public relations battle surrounding the impasse on Parliament Hill, during one of the most chaotic weeks in Canadian political history, an EKOS poll conducted (on Tuesday and Wednesday) for the CBC suggests."

"If an election were held tomorrow, which party would you vote for?"
Conservatives - 44%
Liberals - 24%
NDP - 14.5%
Bloc - 9%
Greens - 8%

"Favourd leader to deal with the economic crisis?"
Conservatives led by Harper - 47%
Liberals-NDP led by Dion - 34%
Don't know - 19%

Preferences?
Parliament take a month off - 37%
Liberal-NDP coalition - 28%
Another election - 16%
Don't know - 16%

The full article is at
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/04/parliament-poll.html

IPSOS REID POLL
The Ottawa Citizen reports that, "Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservatives would romp to a majority victory with a record 46-per-cent public support if an election were held today, a new Ipsos Reid poll says."

Oppose the Liberal-NDP coalition - 60%
Favour the coalition - 37%
Prefer election over coalition - 56%

Party preference
Conservatives - 46%
Liberals - 23%
New Democrats - 13%
Greens - 8%
Bloc - 37% in Quebec

"(Pollster Darrel) Bricker said the prospect of a coalition government involving the Liberals, New Democrats and the Bloc may end up allowing Mr. Harper to get the majority government he wasn't able to get on his own on Oct. 14."

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=725a28e0-dee1-48fd-9f30-2eebb9d3634d

Toronto Star columnist Chantal Hebert said last night on the CBC News 'At Issue' panel that this was the wrong coalition at the wrong time, but it is a step toward a coalition government for Canada in the future. Time will tell.

Council of Canadians national chairperson Maude Barlow was in attendance at the rally. Her video appeal in support of a coalition government can be viewed on our website at http://www.canadians.org/08-Coalition/media/maudevid.html.

Thousands more will rally across the country today, with large demonstrations expected in Toronto and Montreal this weekend.

CBC reports that between now and Parliament reconvening on January 26, "the Tories will continue to wage a public relations blitz against the Liberal-NDP coalition. But the opposition parties showed no sign of easing talks of a coalition and planned to continue waging their own campaigns to gain public support."

Another CBC report notes that, "The quasi-election campaign will unfold over the holiday season with speeches, advertising and polling in the weeks ahead of resumption of Parliament on Jan. 26, said CBC's Keith Boag…(Transport Minister John) Baird said there are already cracks in the Liberal caucus, pointing to an article in the Guelph Mercury in which area MP Francis Valeriote was quoted as speaking out against the proposed coalition."

The two CBC reports are at http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/04/harper-jean.html and http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/04/parl-baird.html.

NDP leader Jack Layton and Liberall leader Stephane Dion have asked for a meeting at 1:30 pm today with the Governor-General, but have not had confirmation whether this meeting will happen or not.

There is also word that Harper's visit to a new auto assembly plant this afternoon in Woodstock, Ontario has been cancelled.

The decision on prorogation may not come until this evening or even tomorrow morning. Or it may come shortly, we will have to wait and see.

But the Globe and Mail is reporting, "Stephen Harper is scheduled to meet with Governor-General Michaëlle Jean on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. ET to ask her to prorogue Parliament. If Ms. Jean approves, it would allow the Prime Minister to avoid a confidence vote scheduled for Monday, where the three opposition parties have vowed to defeat the minority Conservative government."

Late this afternoon, CBC reported that, "Harper has invited the premiers for an economic summit on Jan 16, increasing the likelihood that he will seek to prorogue Parliament and suspend the current session until January, when his government would present its budget."

Mr. Harper gave a 5-minute televised address this evening at 7:00 pm, although it had been expected his speech would be 10-minutes. There was no new announcement in his speech. His speech in English warned of a coalition with "separatists." His speech in French was identical word-for-word except here he used the less-charged word "sovereigntist."

An unexplained delay in the delivery of the video-tape meant that Mr. Dion's pre-recorded response was broadcast almost 25-minutes later.

The CBC report is at
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/03/harper-address.html

The full text of Stephen Harper and Stephane Dion statements this evening can be read at
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081203/
harper_statement_081203/20081203?hub=TopStories

The Globe and Mail report is at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/
RTGAM.20081203.wPOLcoalition1203/BNStory/politics/

The Canadian Press reports, "The Liberal-NDP coalition should get a chance to govern if the Conservatives are defeated in the House of Commons, former governor general Ed Schreyer said Wednesday...He said the coalition, which is poised to defeat Stephen Harper and his Conservatives on Monday, would then have a legitimate claim to power."

Ed Schreyer was the Governor-General of Canada between 1979 and 1984.

Mr. Schreyer says, "The ground rules of fair play, constitutional fair play and propriety are clear...We are a parliamentary democracy. And governments are elected according to whether or not they have and are able to maintain the confidence of a majority in Parliament. And if we are to remain a parliamentary democracy, then the parliamentary will must not be ignored, nor must it be avoided or evaded...The fundamentals are clear. Parliament must not be thwarted."

The full article can be read at http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9009648.html.

Governor-General Michaëlle Jean will be arriving back in Ottawa just before 5:00 pm EST today. Many Canadians have been calling her office to request that she not grant prorogation should Mr. Harper request it, but rather to approve the formation of a coalition government.

Her contact coordinates are:
E-mail: info@gg.ca
Telephone: 1-800-465-6890
Fax: 613-998-8760

The report notes, "Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, who is leader of the coalition, will be given airtime to respond to Harper's address. But New Democrat leader Jack Layton requested in a letter to television networks that all three opposition leaders get time on the microphone, saying the coalition is not yet official and the parties are still 'distinct and functionally separate'."

Layton writes, "We respectfully remind broadcasters that the proposed coalition is just that: a proposal to the Canadian people by two of Canada's political parties with the backing of a third."

The full article can be read at http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/
20081202/crisis_GG_081203/20081203?hub=TopStories.

To see an updated list of the rallies across the country in support of the coalition government, plus short audio commercials for each of the cities, please go to http://canadianlabour.ca/en/coalition-government-rallies-across-canada.

The report continues, "If the government does collapse, respondents were equally split on whether a coalition government would be the best option for Canada. Slightly more than a third of Canadians said they would support a coalition government formed by the opposition, when asked about their preferred solution if the government falls: Opposition coalition (37 percent); Holding a federal election (32 percent); Not sure (24 percent); Allowing the opposition to run by accord (7 percent)."

The 24 percent undecided is a significant number and those are the individuals that all sides will be trying to reach over the next couple of days. The Canadian Labour Congress has started running 30-second radio ads which can be heard at http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=75djonzjtkI.

As Director of Organizing Carleen Pickard points out, the level of support for a coalition government in this poll is about the same as the level of support for the Conservatives in the recent federal election. As noted on the Elections Canada website, the Conservatives won 37.6 percent of the popular vote in the October 2008 election, and 36.3 percent in the 2006 election.

The Toronto Star reports, "In spite of Harper's bluster, Quebecers appear comfortable with the idea of a coalition government. A CROP poll in Quebec on the weekend showed 70 percent in favour of a Bloc-supported coalition."

Be sure to respond to the Council of Canadians action alert in support of the call for a coalition government at http://www.canadians.org/action/2008/1-Dec-08-2.html. You can also see the latest updates and information at http://www.canadians.org/08-Coalition/index.html.

The CTV report is at http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/
20081202/poll_future_081202/20081202?hub=TopStories.

The Elections Canada figures can be found at http://www.nodice.ca/elections/canada/.

The Toronto Star report on the CROP poll is at http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/547516.

THE STRATEGY
Jeffrey Simpson writes, "The whole survival strategy now depends on gaining time: getting the Governor-General to grant an extraordinary prorogation of Parliament to avoid imminent defeat, so that the Conservatives, whose leader plunged them into this unnecessary mess, can regroup and fight another day."

JEAN WOULD LIKELY ACCEPT PROROGATION
Michael Valpy writes, "Although the Governor-General has the power to refuse Mr. Harper's request, she likely would find herself in stormy constitutional waters if she did."

REDUCED POWERS FOR HARPER?
Valpy adds, "However, she'd be on firm ground if she granted him a qualified prorogation, severely limiting his ability to govern until he faces the opposition parties in the House of Commons...(The government would be) unable to carry out anything but the most routine operations, barred from making appointment, executing new policies or authorizing major expenditures."

MANY LIBERAL AND NDP MPS EXPECT PROROGATION
The Ottawa Citizen reports that, "Many Liberal and NDP MPs said yesterday they fully expect Mr. Harper to prorogue."

PROROGATION THIS WEEK?
"Prorogation could happen as early as today, although Liberals and Conservatives are betting Mr. Harper will wait until the end of the week while his party's public relations campaign builds some steam."

PARLIAMENT WOULD RECONVENE IN TWO MONTHS
"If Parliament is prorogued, it would most likely reconvene just before the Conservatives table the budget on January 27, giving the Tories nearly two months to conduct their anti-coalition campaign."

A NEW THRONE SPEECH
With prorogation "all unpassed legislation dies except for private members' bills, and Parliament's agenda is wiped clean. A new session begins with a Throne Speech."

GLOBE SAYS IT WOULD BE ‘A SHABBY ACT BY MR. HARPER’
The Globe and Mail editorial board says, “To prorogue now would obviously be a shabby act by Mr. Harper. It would be the Conservatives who could be accused of being anti-democratic, of preventing Parliament from expressing its will on a matter of confidence over its handling of the economy. Mr. Harper would be shown to be a leader in retreat, fearful of facing the elected representatives of the people of Canada.”

1. Preemptively remove Michaëlle Jean

“This is the true nuclear option for Harper: a preemptive strike against Jean to remove her from office, and replace her with a governor-general sympathetic to the argument that the people should decide in an election. The roots of this option are found in the last major constitutional crisis in a British Parliamentary democracy, the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis…Mr. Harper could advise the Queen that Ms. Jean should be removed from office, perhaps noting her past dalliance with Quebec separatism as grounds. He would then be free to appoint someone who would agree to call an election or prorogue rather than call upon Mr. Dion to form a Ministry…To call this option risky is a grave understatement. Not only would it threaten the role of the monarchy in Canada, but parliamentary supremacy back to the Magna Carta would be called into question.”

2. Reschedule the vote again

“The Government House Leader could move the date of the opposition motion back, in essence preventing any votes on matters of confidence indefinitely. The challenge here would be the absurdity of the Commons paralyzed by debate on amendments to every motion attempting to force a confidence matter. It would likely prove impossible for the Governor-General to not intervene and summon the PM to demonstrate confidence in the Commons.”

3. Appoint opposition MPs to the Senate

“This option has received some attention, but is unlikely to work. In theory, the PM could stimulate the resignation of opposition MPs with the lure of appointments to the Senate, ambassadorial posts or other plums. However, the Prime Minister's powers of appointment are contingent on having the confidence of the House.”

4. Caretaker Prime Minister

“An interesting option would be attempting to act as a caretaker Prime Minister…In essence, the PM would argue that he should let the Governor-General off the hook, voluntarily reduce his powers of appointment and programme, and return to Parliament to work to find a coalition partner. This has the added benefit of throwing the matter back to Parliament to resolve, and not leaving the decision with an appointed official. And by reducing his powers, he is acknowledging a lack of a majority, without agreeing that he has lost the confidence in the House irrevocably. Governors-general are loath to make a decision employing their reserve power, and this maneuver might win GG approval simply by delaying a decision.”

5. Prorogue

“The option that is getting the most attention is proroguing. This would have the effect of dismissing the Commons until a Jan. 26 Throne Speech, essentially rebooting the Parliament for a second try…There are risks with Governor-General refusing this option.”

6. Apologize, fire Flaherty and reach across the aisle

“Each passing day makes it less likely the opposition will be appeased.”

7. Request an election

“There is an option that the PM first request dissolution and an election prior to the confidence vote, beating the opposition to the punch. This option could have worked prior to the signing of a formal agreement with a joint programme. But now there is an obvious alternate governing with the support of a majority in the House. It is unlikely the GG would grant dissolution without first asking Mr. Dion to attempt to form a government.”

8. Convince Opposition MPs to support the government

“There may be Liberal MPs uncertain about entering into a coalition with the NDP, particularly one supported by the Bloc. There could even be a few New Democrats with apprehensions. It's very difficult to tell, but there is the outside possibility that the Conservatives could find twelve votes on the opposition benches.”

9. Seduce the Bloc to support Conservatives

“This is an extremely unlikely scenario, given the extreme vilification of the Bloc by the Conservatives over the past week. But one way out of this crisis was to win the temporary support of the Bloc with a low-cost, symbolic gesture to Quebecois. This would be something along the lines of the nation resolution or an additional Quebec justice on the Supreme Court. With Mr. Duceppe's signature on an accord, this option is now closed.”

10. Step down as Conservative leader

“Little binds the three opposition parties together. There is a joint programme, but the real glue of this coalition is a unanimous belief on the opposition bench that Stephen Harper must go. Were Harper to resign as Conservative Party Leader and an interim leader like Chuck Strahl, Jim Prentice or Tony Clement lead the Conservatives, it is entirely possible the coalition would fall apart and that person might be able to receive the confidence of the House. It is clearly not in the political interest of the Liberals to form common cause with the Bloc or the NDP. Their motivation is the belief that Stephen Harper must no longer be Prime Minister. Such a move might avert political catastrophe for the Conservatives and for the Liberals.”

The full posting can be read at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/
RTGAM.20081202.WBSteele20081202134134/WBStory/WBSteele.

At a news conference, May said, "The Greens have been seeking a way to be in the House of Commons and in Parliament. The Senate is an important part of Parliament...That's a hypothetical possibility (her appointment to the Senate). There are many hypothetical possibilities, including that I wouldn't be in the Senate...But we've had discussions, including many aspects of how the Greens could play a role, including the Senate, hypothetically...It's clear that we have an opportunity to do something creative for democracy in this country."

The article also notes, "She said the party's role might simply be to provide advice to the coalition. A spokesman for the Liberal Party said Dion was not offering cabinet spots or Senate positions to anyone. 'That's premature speculation,' he said."

In the last federal election, the Green Party of Canada won 940,747 votes, but no seats in the House of Commons.

The full article is at http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN0225693020081202.

STIMULUS PACKAGE
"The coalition government calls for an economic stimulus package including infrastructure spending; money for housing (construction and retrofitting); aid to key sectors such as manufacturing, auto and forestry sectors; funding for skills training; and support for unemployed older workers (to help them make the transition to retirement)."

CAP-AND-TRADE
"(Dion's) election-campaign carbon-tax proposal would not go ahead, but plans for a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions would."

CORPORATE TAX CUTS
"Planned corporate tax cuts (announced by the Conservatives in Budget 2008) would go forward - a major concession for the NDP."

AFGHANISTAN
"Canadian troops would remain in Afghanistan until 2011."

QUEBEC
"Mr. Duceppe said the Bloc Quebecois would not guarantee its support (for the coalition government) beyond June 2010 because the other two parties would not make concessions on actions to reflect Quebec's recognition as a nation."

EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
"The coalition is also proposing a new agency to reform Employment Insurance and introduce reforms to reduce minimum withdrawals from RRSPs."

Yesterday, as reported by the Ottawa Citizen, Stephen Harper said, "We will use all legal means to resist this undemocratic seizure of power."

This could include:
- "National Revenue Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn said prorogation was an option the government was considering."

- "The Conservatives, in preparation for this possibility (of an election), have already put down a deposit on a campaign plane and buses."

- "Government supporters are planning rallies across the country (including at Rideau Hall) and will go door-to-door to gather signatures on a petition."

- "Sources say broadcast or print advertising is also a possibility."

This all said, "in a sign of how seriously the bureaucracy is taking the opposition's bid to topple the Conservatives, the Privy Council Office has asked all departments to begin preparing transition books for a new government."

RAE AND IGNATIEFF BACK DION AS PRIME MINISTER

The report continues, "The announcement comes only hours after the three Liberal leadership contenders said they would support Dion as the leader of a new government coalition with the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois. Speaking outside of the Liberal caucus meeting, Dominic LeBlanc, standing shoulder to shoulder with Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff, said they all back the deal forged with the NDP."

THE DRAFT AGREEMENT

CTV has also reported that, "the cabinet formed under the coalition would include both Liberal and NDP ministers. The Liberals would take 18 cabinet seats, while the NDP would get six." They have also reported that, "that the coalition government would introduce a $30-billion economic stimulus package and roll back $50 billion in planned corporate tax cuts."

INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING, AID FOR FORESTRY AND MANUFACTURING SECTORS, SHORT-TERM DEFICIT

The Globe and Mail adds that, "The coaltion deal includes a multibillion-dollar stimulus package for the troubled economy. Liberal MP John McCallum said the stimulus plan under consideration could include cheques for Canadian households as well as infrastructure spending and aid for the forestry and manufacturing sectors...Mr. McCallum also noted that a Liberal-led government would run a short-term deficit but be determined to balance the budget as quickly as possible."

CORPORATE TAX CUTS?

The National Post is now reporting that, "The Liberal finance critic, Scott Brison, said Monday morning that corporate tax cuts set to kick in next year would remain in effect as part of a Liberal-NDP coalition government. His comments come amid published reports that a Liberal-NDP coalition government would finance a multibillion stimulus package by rolling back corporate tax cuts introduced in late 2007. Mr. Brison said that is not the case."

THE COUNCIL OF CANADIANS

The Council calls on the three opposition parties to defeat the Harper government in a non-confidence vote as soon as possible and to form a coalition government guided by a set of progressive priorities, including:

1. Agreement to proceed with the renegotiation of NAFTA, including seeking the removal of the Chapter 11 investor-state clause, the energy provisions, and water from the treaty.

2. Implement a Canadian energy strategy, which would address the environmental destruction of the northern Alberta tar sands, reduce eastern Canada's dependence on imported oil, and create the opportunity for Canada to become an international leader in developing new green jobs and publicly-owned renewable energy sources.

3. Implement a national water policy that would prohibit bulk water exports (by removing water from NAFTA), recognize the right to water through the United Nations, and ensure that water remains a public good not a private commodity.

4. Place an immediate moratorium on the establishment of any new for-profit privately-owned health care clinics in Canada.

5. Take immediate steps to introduce proportional representation to address the unbalanced results that come with the current electoral system in Canada.

The news reports are at

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081130/
conservative_budget_081201/20081201?hub=TopStories

http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=1017291

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/
RTGAM.20081201.wPOLcoalition1201/BNStory/politics/home

The two dangers currently facing this plan are Michael Ignatieff's reported opposition to the deal and the possibility that Stephen Harper could prorogue Parliament through to Janaury 27. Clearly a lot can happen before the House breaks for holidays on December 12.

30 MONTH COALITION GOVERNMENT
The Globe and Mail reports this morning that, "The Liberals and NDP have reached a deal to bring down the federal Conservative government and form an unprecedented coalition to take its place that would last 30 months and include cabinet seats for both parties."

DION WOULD BE THE PRIME MINISTER
"The talks have been conducted on the assumption that Mr. Dion would take power as prime minister until May, when he would be replaced by the winner of the Liberal leadership race."

SIX NDP CABINET SEATS
"Sources confirmed Sunday night that the two sides have ironed out an agreement that would see a cabinet of 24 members — 18 Liberals and six NDP."

BLOC SUPPORT FOR AT LEAST 12 MONTHS
"The Liberal-NDP coalition would be supported by the Bloc on confidence votes in the Commons through an accord that would guarantee its survival for at least a year, Liberal and NDP sources said."

RAE BACKING DION AS PM
The Ottawa Citizen reports that, "A senior official in Bob Rae's campaign told Canwest News Service Sunday that (Rae) is urging other candidates 'to do the right thing' by getting behind a Dion-led coalition deal, presenting a unified Liberal response to the economic crisis and leaving the leadership selection process intact."

IGNATIEFF OPPOSES THE COALITION
"At the same time Sunday night, there were other indications that the coalition-building process could unravel due to internal Liberal politics. The National Post was reporting that Michael Ignatieff, former deputy Liberal leader and a favourite to succeed Stephane Dion, wants nothing to do with a coalition with the NDP and separatists. Nor, according to the Post, would Ignatieff lead such a coalition. Ignatieff reportedly has the support of the majority of 77 Liberal MPs and could conceivably keep the government in power through abstentions."

HARPER MAY PROROGUE PARLIAMENT
"There were also rumours that Mr. Harper might prorogue Parliament, ending the current session so he cannot be defeated in the Commons — although some said that was a last-resort option that would look desperate."

TELL IGNATIEFF YOU SUPPORT THE COALITION
You can tell Michael Ignatieff that you support the coalition government by contacting him at:

House of Commons
Telephone: (613) 995-9364
Fax: (613) 992-5880
EMail: Ignatieff.M@parl.gc.ca
Constituency office (Lakeshore-Etobicoke)
Telephone: (416) 251-5510
Fax: (416) 251-2845

The Globe and Mail report is at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081130.wottawa1130/
BNStory/National/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20081130.wottawa1130

The Ottawa Citizen report is at
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=1014127

Mr. Ignatieff's complete contact details can be found at
http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/ProfileMP.aspx?Key=78667&Language=E

THEY MAY ARGUE THE COALITION WAS IN THE WORKS LONG BEFORE THE FISCAL UPDATE
CTV is reporting that, "The New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois had a secret plan to form a coalition party well before the opposition's uproar over the government's fiscal update, CTV News has learned...Layton held a telephone-conference meeting with his caucus Saturday morning that was recorded by a Conservative member. According to the audio tape, Layton appears to take credit for the possibility of a coalition."

Layton says on the tape:
"Let's just say we have strategies. This whole thing would not have happened if the moves hadn't been made with the Bloc a long time ago and locked them in early. Because, you couldn't put three people together in one or three hours. The first part was done a long time ago."

But what was a Conservative doing taping the call?

THEY MAY ALSO ARGUE THEY HAVE BACKED AWAY FROM THEIR CONTROVERSIAL MEASURES AND WILL DELIVER THEIR BUDGET SOONER
"The news (of the audio-tape) comes as the Conservatives try to stop coalition talks by retreating on measures in its fiscal update, including a proposal to ban public sector unions from striking. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty also said the government would table its budget (on Tuesday, January 27)...They had already relented on a contentious plan to drop $27-million worth of annual taxpayer subsidies to the political parties that comes from $1.95 per vote in the general election."

The Council of Canadians will be issuing an action alert on Monday morning and we may be able to post a video with Maude calling for a coalition government shortly too.

The full article is at
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081130/conservative_budget_081130/20081130?hub=TopStories

While the talking points in the e-mail obtained by the Globe sound quite unconvincing (and angry), it is important for us to be able to counter this kind of argumentation.

The story continues, "Mr. Giorno's message included very detailed scripts MPs are expected to follow while delivering radio interviews that include the following lines::

1) We're not even two months removed from the last election, and a group of backroom politicians are going to pick who the Prime Minister is. Canadians didn't vote for this person. We don't even know who this person will be.

2) Not a single voter voted for a Liberal-NDP coalition. Certainly not a single voter voted for the Liberals to form a coalition with the separatists in the Bloc.

3) This is what bothers me the most. The Conservatives won the election. The Opposition keeps saying that the Conservatives have to respect the will of the voters that this is a minority and so on.

4) …how about Liberals, NDP and Bloc respecting the will of the voters when they said 'YOU LOSE'.

5) And what's this going to do to the economy. I'm sorry, I don't care how desperate the Liberals are — giving socialists (Jack Layton) and separatists (Gilles Duceppe) a veto over every decision in government — that is a recipe for total economic disaster.

6) But how more phony could these guys be?

7) I mean, I follow the news, virtually every single day you have Harper or Flaherty out there telegraphing exactly what they plan to do with the economy. And not once did you hear the Liberals, NDP or separatists talking about toppling the government in response.

8) No — do you know what set this off. When Flaherty said he was going to take taxpayer-funded subsidies away from the opposition. Now there is a reason to try and overturn an election— because the Conservatives the audacity to say 'Hey, it's a recession, maybe you should take your nose out of the trough.'

9) And I wish the media would be more clear on this point — the opposition aren't being singled out by this fact the Conservatives stand to lose the most money of all. The only difference is that Canadians are voluntarily giving money the Conservatives, so they don't need taxpayer handouts. The only reason the opposition would be hurt more is because nobody wants to donate to them. They should be putting their efforts towards fixing that problem.

10) I don't want another election. But what I want even less is a surprise backroom Prime Minister whom I never even had the opportunity to vote for or against. What an insult to democracy."

The full article (and an image of the e-mail) is at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/
RTGAM.20081129.wtories_message1129/BNStory/Front

May writes, "I predict we’ll see new Conservative attack ads aimed at the Opposition Parties and the idea of a coalition. No doubt, the attack ads are in production as we speak. They will try to portray a Coalition Government as some sort of evil coup."

She counters, "When you look at the election results, it is clear that a coalition government is entirely democratic. In fact, it is the most democratic result possible under our current system. Add the Liberal vote (3,629,990) to the NDP vote (2,517,075) and our Green vote (940,747) you get 7,077,812 votes.  (Add in the Bloc vote and) over 8.4 million Canadians did not vote for the Conservatives. In percentages it’s 37.6% versus 61.2%.. Clearly the democratic choice is for a coalition government representing the vast majority of Canadians."

May concludes, "So in the next week, please do not leave this to the Conservative attack machine to shape public opinion. Sadly, Greens are not in the House, but we are at the grassroots, in neighbourhoods and communities. PLEASE spread the word. Send letters to MPs (what Mr. Harper suggested.). Blog on media sites. Post comments. Write letters to the editor. Organize your own events. Attend the planned climate rallies on December 6th and support the dream of a Coalition government supporting global action at the climate negotiations running in Poland from December 1-13."

THE ECONOMY
CBC Radio News reports this morning Liberal MP John McCallum saying the economy would be the top priority of the coalition government. Liberal MP Marlene Jennings says the new government would introduce a stimulus plan "within days" of taking office. NDP MP Peter Julian said on CBC Radio's The House this morning that the opposition parties agree in many ways on how to address the economic crisis.

NO POLICY ISSUES ARE DEAL-BREAKERS
The Globe and Mail reports that, "Spokesmen for both the Liberals and the New Democrats said negotiations between the two parties would continue through the weekend, and, despite disagreements on matters such as the Canadian presence in Afghanistan, a senior NDP official said that no policy issues are considered deal-breakers. Nor does the NDP object to Mr. Dion as prime minister."

NDP CABINET SEATS
The Globe reports that, "The NDP is asking for cabinet seats in whatever coalition emerges, although it is not clear which portfolios."

The Toronto Star adds that, "NDP Leader Jack Layton and Stephane Dion have discussed 'roles and responsibilities' in a new coalition, an NDP official confirmed.  It is expected that Layton would have a place in the new cabinet, and 'various players would play different roles,' the official said."

John Baird was on CBC Radio's As It Happens last night employing the scare tactic, "Jack Layton would be the finance minister."

THE BLOC'S DEMANDS
The Star reports, "Gilles Duceppe repeated his past statements that the Bloc will not be formally part of any coalition, but the Bloc Leader said he is open to working with Mr. Dion...Duceppe has had meetings with Layton and Dion, and still wants 'stimuli concerning economy, to have a real plan for manufacturing and forestry sector, to have a better conditions for the employment insurance and so on.'”

A WRITTEN AGREEMENT
The Globe reports that, "In the current situation, the three opposition parties would have to produce a written agreement guaranteeing support for a Liberal government or a Liberal-NDP coalition..The agreement would have to be made public and it would have to specify that it remained in effect for a set period of time."

THE COUNCIL OF CANADIANS' 5-POINT PROGRESSIVE AGENDA
The Council of Canadians issued a media release yesterday calling on the three opposition parties to defeat the Harper government in a non-confidence vote as soon as possible and to form a coalition government guided by a set of progressive priorities.

We have put forward a five-point progressive agenda to guide the work of a potential coalition government:

1. Agreement to proceed with the renegotiation of NAFTA, including seeking the removal of the Chapter 11 investor-state clause, the energy provisions, and water from the treaty.

2. Implement a Canadian energy strategy, which would address the environmental destruction of the northern Alberta tar sands, reduce eastern Canada's dependence on imported oil, and create the opportunity for Canada to become an international leader in developing new green jobs and publicly-owned renewable energy sources.

3. Implement a national water policy that would prohibit bulk water exports (by removing water from NAFTA), recognize the right to water through the United Nations, and ensure that water remains a public good not a private commodity.

4. Place an immediate moratorium on the establishment of any new for-profit privately-owned health care clinics in Canada.

5. Take immediate steps to introduce proportional representation to address the unbalanced results that come with the current electoral system in Canada.

The article 'Conservatives delay vote on fiscal update' is at
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/545220

The article 'Harper buys time, coalition closes in' can be read at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/
RTGAM.20081128.wcoalition29/BNStory/politics/home

The article 'Jean would have little choice but to accept coalition back, experts say' is at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081128.wGG29/BNStory/politics/home

The Council of Canadians issued a media release today calling on the three opposition parties to defeat the Harper government in a non-confidence vote as soon as possible and to form a coalition government guided by a set of progressive priorities.

We have put forward a five-point progressive agenda to guide the work of a potential coalition government:

1. Agreement to proceed with the renegotiation of NAFTA, including seeking the removal of the Chapter 11 investor-state clause, the energy provisions, and water from the treaty.

2. Implement a Canadian energy strategy, which would address the environmental destruction of the northern Alberta tar sands, reduce eastern Canada's dependence on imported oil, and create the opportunity for Canada to become an international leader in developing new green jobs and publicly-owned renewable energy sources.

3. Implement a national water policy that would prohibit bulk water exports (by removing water from NAFTA), recognize the right to water through the United Nations, and ensure that water remains a public good not a private commodity.

4. Place an immediate moratorium on the establishment of any new for-profit privately-owned health care clinics in Canada.

5. Take immediate steps to introduce proportional representation to address the unbalanced results that come with the current electoral system in Canada.

The Canadian Press article can be read at http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Canada/2008/11/28/7572051.html.

The report notes that, "The Liberal motion, which has the approval of the NDP and Bloc Quebecois, reads: 'In light of the government's failure to recognize the seriousness of Canada's economic situation and its failure in particular to present any credible plan to stimulate the Canadian economy and to help workers and businesses in hard-pressed sectors such as manufacturing, the automotive industry and forestry, this House has lost confidence in this government and is of the opinion that a viable alternative government can be formed within the present House of Commons.'"

CTV's Robert Fife says, "Negotiations are still going on...It changes every hour, I'm starting to wonder if this is going to be serious now given the fact that the political financing thing was the fuse that started it all is being pulled out of the ways and means. (Now it's) unlikely they are going to defeat the government on a ways and means motion because of the effect it would have on seniors."

CTV reported this morning that, "Former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien and New Democrat stalwart Ed Broadbent are working behind the scenes to broker a deal that could see the two parties form a coalition government, CTV News has learned. The urgent and high-level negotiations began Thursday night after the Liberals and NDP - along with the Bloc Quebecois - rejected Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's economic update. 'Under this deal the Liberals would form the government, the NDP would sit in it with cabinet seats and the Bloc Quebecois would support this new NDP-Liberal coalition from outside the government,' said CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife. Liberal MP Michael Ignatieff is the most likely choice to lead the coalition, Fife told CTV's Canada AM."

This most recent news story can be read at http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081127/
Tories_fiscal_081128/20081128?hub=TopStories.

Stay tuned.

Earlier this morning the Globe and Mail had reported that, "The government has been silent on the matter, although Conservative officials met late into the night in the Prime Minister's Office in the Langevin Block, across from Parliament Hill. Tory MPs seemed thunderstruck late Thursday by the possibility that their second term might come to a sudden end. As some of them piled onto a parliamentary shuttle bus, they were heard incredulously asking opposition MPs if they're serious about a coalition."

The National Post reported that, "This morning, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon was a guest on CBC Newsworld and was promptly put on the spot...So enter Mr. Cannon, on the prospect of the Opposition defeating the government: 'If that's what they want to do, then let them do it...Whatever happens, happens.'"

The Canadian Press article is at
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/
ALeqM5j-vaw1H_MNCsBEEmjJaOuSu_dRSQ

The Globe and Mail report is at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/
RTGAM.20081128.wPOLcoalition1128/BNStory/politics/home

The National Post article is at
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/
archive/2008/11/28/lawrence-cannon-aka-tory-
spokesman-whatever-happens-happens.aspx

CBC.ca adds, "According to the Canadian Press, the official says NDP Leader Jack Layton asked Broadbent to call Chrétien with hopes the two elder statesmen might finesse a deal for the two parties to defeat the minority government and form a coalition with support from the Bloc. The NDP official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, says the two former leaders spoke at least four times and will continue talking Friday. The news agency also said an unnamed Liberal MP confirmed the talks were going on, and said Broadbent was having a morning meeting with Layton."

The CTV report is at
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081127/
Tories_fiscal_081128/20081128?hub=TopStories

The CBC story is at
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/11/28/fed-govt.html

Overall, "Canwest News Service has learned that preliminary discussions between the NDP and the Liberals at adviser level are already under way, although, officially, no leader, MP or senior adviser from one party is yet talking to counterparts from another party."

LIBERALS
The Globe and Mail reports that a Liberal insider said that the caucus meeting on Thursday morning did not discuss a coalition government and that Stephane Dion told his caucus to "stay focused and make sure we are all united in the message. The message is the economy..." But "Liberal MPs were locked in meetings Thursday night, struggling to determine what to do...Their options are to fight another election mere weeks after the last one with a lame duck leader, or join forces with the New Democratic Party in an attempt to form a coalition government...The Liberal Party's constitution gives Mr. Dion the authority to decide what his parliamentary caucus will do. Pressure was growing on Mr. Dion to be open to coalition talks, with threats of a party coup if he resisted...The party almost certainly would refuse to go into another election under Mr. Dion, with the likely result that the mantle of interim leadership would fall on Michael Ignatieff, who has the most support from the parliamentary caucus and influential backroom Liberals. But that would upset supporters of MPs Bob Rae and Dominic LeBlanc, who are campaigning for the Liberal leadership...And Liberal insiders say that Mr. Dion, who is to step aside in May, has signalled to senior Liberals that his opposition to the package is not a ploy to stay on as leader or become prime minister in a coalition or co-operative government."

Ottawa Citizen: Liberal MP Ralph Goodale says, "The speculation about coalitions and constitutional prerogatives is very premature."
But "Cannwest News Service has also learned that some Liberals have approached Mr. Chrétien to convene a meeting between Liberal leader Stéphane Dion and the two leading leadership candidates, Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae. Those Liberals want Mr. Chrétien to broker a deal that would see a leader other than Mr. Dion who could lead the Liberals in a general election campaign, should it come to that. Representatives of the Ignatieff and Rae campaigns quickly dismissed the suggestion that Mr. Chrétien would, or should, convene such a meeting."

NDP
Globe and Mail: "Sources say that NDP Leader Jack Layton would not participate in a coalition government with Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion as prime minister."

Ottawa Citizen: "Mr. Layton was scheduled to give a major speech to a union group in Vancouver tomorrow, but Canwest News Service has learned he will send his House leader, Libby Davies, in his stead so that he can stay in Ottawa to confer with his advisers and, if need be, the leaders of the other two opposition parties...Usually, a governor general's response (to a non-confidence vote) is to dissolve Parliament and call a general election. But she also has the option of inviting the leader of another party to form a government." NDP MP Thomas Mulcair says, "I think that anyone who knows the Canadian constitutional system will be able to explain to you that long before talking about an election, if the government loses the confidence of Parliament, there are a lot of other things that will happen before we would have an election, especially so soon after the last one."

BLOC QUEBECOIS
There has bee very little coverage of their position other than they reject the elimination of the per vote subsidy, with the Ottawa Citizen reporting that, "For the Liberals and the Bloc, the subsidy amounts to about two-thirds of their annual revenues." The Liberals receive $7.7 million dollars annually, while the Bloc Quebecois receives $2.6 million.

The Ottawa Citizen report is at
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=379ab8e4-5663-47e8-8fa3-04a87b7e3e23

The Globe and Mail story is at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081128.wfiscalparties28/
BNStory/politics/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20081128.wfiscalparties28