Stephen Harper’s Conservative government survived a crucial confidence vote last night, yet the Tories appeared to be in full campaign mode during a speech to UBCM delegates this morning.
“We are on a track through this time of global downturn that I believe is in the right direction,” said federal trade minister Stockwell Day.
He punctuated his thirty minute speech to the annual convention of B.C. municipalities with not-so-subtle jabs at the federal Liberals. And spent the bulk of it playing up Tory initiatives in B.C.
In a fall election, the Conservatives would win 37 per cent of the vote compared to 27 per cent for the Liberals, an Angus Reid/Toronto Star poll suggested today.
“Just curious, because there seems to be a bit of debate going on,” he told the crowd. “How many people here by a show of hands think it’s time for a federal election?”
After a brief pause: “Okay, one person with two hands up, two other brave people…I needed to be brought back to reality.”
Day admitted he was a little “irritable” because he’d missed his morning jog. A House of Commons vote last night meant his plane didn’t arrive in Vancouver until the wee hours.
The minority Conservatives survived yesterday’s Liberal motion to bring down the federal government. With the NDP abstaining, the vote was 144-117 against a fall election.
Still, Day spent more than 20 minutes trying to convince the room of small-town mayors, councillors and other officials that the Tories are their best choice for national representation.
He reminded the crowd of $719 million in federal, provincial and local infrastructure spending announced for B.C. last week. Of the $130 million Harper recently pledged for the Northwest Transmission Line.
“A lot has been done,” Day said. “There’s still more that we can do.”
The federal trade minister told reporters after the speech he hoped last night’s House vote would dissuade the federal Grits from further election-mongering.
“I just wish they would get the message and help us focus on the economy rather than political game playing.”
Geoff Dembicki reports for The Tyee.
4
Login or register to post comments
freebear
2 years ago
Who cares about what Doris has to say!
Go get stuffed in your wetsuit!
OilbertaRedTory
2 years ago
The Perpetual Campaign ...
... should cause all Canadians to care.
Paying attention is how you discover the contradictions and illogic of their partisan activities :
http://www.conservativeforum.org/EssaysForm.asp?ID=6295
The people who think the Flintstones was documentary are running the government.
Pay very, very close attention.
“Apathy is the glove into which evil slips its hand”
Bodie Thoene
Sask Resident
2 years ago
Eat Grits But Don't vote for Them
The only sure thing is that the federal Liberals would have messed up the economy and drained all of Canada's money back into Toronto and Montreal. The Igg complains about not enough stimulus money, but he really means that more taxpayer money needs to be spent in Toronto. $30 billion to the auto industry is not enough according to the Wizard of Igg. The revolt by the Quebec Liberals is over money and power promised by the Igg to Toronto over Montreal.
Stockwell maybe can't lead but he has done a good job as a minister. He generally listens to his constituents and tries to do the best for the country.
OilbertaRedTory
2 years ago
A sure thing :
Irresponsible tax cuts lead to massive deficits and abandoning government services for citizens :
http://tinyurl.com/HarperSteady
Or you could tell Harper yourself:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/conservativesagainstdeficit/index.html
Stockwell Day's 'doing the best' for Canada shouldn't include breaking trust:
http://trustbreaker.freehostia.com/100+reasons.htm