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Letter to the editor

Prime minister pushes for election, analysts say

By JIM FOX, Times Correspondent
Published October 7, 2007

The Canada report  

The parliamentary game of "defeat the government" has taken a new turn with Prime Minister Stephen Harper threatening to put the country on perpetual election alert.

Political strategists suggest Harper, who leads the minority Conservative government, is making moves aimed at forcing a fall election should the Liberals and opposition take the bait.

Harper issued an ultimatum saying if sufficient opposition politicians vote in favor of the Oct. 16 throne speech outlining the government's priorities, this will be seen as a mandate to proceed.

If that's the case, any resulting bills would be considered important legislation for which the government could be defeated in a no-confidence vote in the House of Commons.

Analysts suggest this is an attempt to force an election since the Liberals have recently had three humiliating by-election losses in Quebec and are engaged in bitter infighting.

"Harper's clearly contriving to defeat himself," Liberal House leader Ralph Goodale said, adding: "I don't intend to play into his game."

Is this really October?

It still seems like summer in central Canada, with record-setting temperatures in the 80s this Thanksgiving weekend.

This is something that hasn't been seen in "150 years of weather-keeping to have it so warm so late in the year," Environment Canada climatologist David Phillips said.

Last year, high temperatures were in the 50s, and some snow was seen in October.

While fall has already arrived in the West, it is nowhere to be seen in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes, Phillips said.

"Enjoy it while it lasts, because you know what's ahead," he added.

Names in the news

-Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien is recovering after quadruple heart bypass surgery. The Montreal Heart Institute said Chretien, 73, was doing well after the operation to repair a coronary blockage.

-Brian Mulroney, prime minister from 1984 to 1993, says Canada should be part of any free-trade deal worked out between the United States and the European Union. He was speaking at a dinner in honor of his work to establish the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement, enacted Jan. 1, 1989.

-Mark Carney, a finance department whiz kid, has been appointed governor of the Bank of Canada. Carney, 42, educated at Harvard and Oxford, is the youngest person to head Canada's central bank.

-A memorial service was held in Calgary for Cpl. Nathan Hornburg, 24, a reservist with the King's Own Calgary Regiment, who was killed in Afghanistan. He was the 71st Canadian soldier killed since the mission began in 2002.

Facts and figures

Canada's dollar continues to soar above parity with the U.S. currency on news of strong economic gains and a drop in the jobless rate to 5.9 percent. The dollar reached $1.02 U.S. on Friday while the U.S. dollar dropped to 98 cents in Canadian funds before bank exchange fees.

The Bank of Canada key interest rate remains at 4.5 percent while the prime lending rate is 6.25 percent.

Stock markets were higher, with the Toronto index at 14,233 points and the TSX Venture Exchange at 2,857 points.

Lotto 6-49: Wednesday 3, 17, 18, 24, 31 and 32; bonus 42. (Sept. 29) 9, 19, 26, 29, 39 and 45; bonus 33.

Regional briefs

-It's a tough road ahead for new Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois as the National Assembly resumes on Oct. 16. Voters elected only 36 Parti Quebecois members to the 125-seat Legislature. Much work must be done to win over Quebeckers and create conditions favorable to independence, she said. The Liberals have 48 members while the Action democratique du Quebec has 41.

-What is it when you get 40 accordion players in one room, besides a sound unique to the eardrums? It's the annual Accordion Extravaganza in Edmonton, which attracted 200 people to hear all the squeezebox players.

-Paul Cooper of Elmira, Ontario, was planning how to spend a $4,000 lottery win when he received a phone call. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. told him his ticket was actually worth $4-million in tax-free cash. "I didn't believe it," said Cooper, 62, who was told by a lottery clerk the Super 7 ticket was worth only $4,000.

Jim Fox can be reached at canadareport@hotmail.com.

[Last modified October 6, 2007, 21:38:26]