Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Can Layton Be Trusted?

I've been troubled by nagging doubt ever since the "coalition" of opposition parties idea surfaced. Layton hatched the venture with Duceppe and then laid it at Dion's feet? Here, Stephane, sign this and we'll make you prime minister.

If I was able to believe that Layton was truly acting for the good of Canada, that is to stop Harper, rather than to advance the political ambitions of Jack Layton, the idea of a Liberal-NDP coalition seems reasonable. But, when you try to ascertain a person's intentions what choice is there except to revisit that person's record?

A coalition is premised on an essential level of trust and I've never found Layton particularly trustworthy. Dippers will disagree with this but, as far as I'm concerned, Stephen Harper was shoehorned into power by Layton and, since then, Jack's been driven by an obsession to become the first NDP leader of the opposition.

To me, Jack Layton is as relentless and unprincipled in his quest to advance his personal political ambitions as Stephen Harper. He's cut from a different cloth than predecessors like David Lewis and Ed Broadbent and it leaves me awfully leery of the guy.

Of course the decision about the future of the coalition isn't mine, it's Michael Ignatieff's and his caucus members'. I don't believe Ignatieff should be bound by any deal inked by his predecessor while Mr. Dion was only an interim party leader on his way out.

If Layton still wants a coalition, it's up to him to sell the deal to Michael Ignatieff and I think it's not only Ignatieff's prerogative but his duty to his Party, his caucus and the Canadian people to make his own assessment of the current conditions and weigh them in deciding the merits of the coalition. If Ignatieff is amenable to a coalition, let him negotiate the terms that would be acceptable to him.

Layton, like Harper, is quick to spot and exploit an opportunity, a weakness. Just what was the weakness Layton spotted in coming up with the coalition idea? Was it a Tory vulnerability, or a Liberal weakness - or was it both?

I wish I could trust Jack Layton, but I can't.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think that was one of Jim Karygiannis' main points last week. He doesn't trust Harper but he trusts the NDP even less.

Anonymous said...

I feel exactly the same way. I've been leary of the coalition from the start, even though I voted NDP through to 2006. On the other hand, the Liberals had few cards to play with Flaherty's budget update. The coalition has been of some use, but its future usefulness is less clear as it also comes with great risk. The coalition is legal, but Canadians are not used to the idea and seem skeptical at best. Ignatieff has a lot of maneuvering to do, since Harper sits on a lot more money and could fight an election anytime.

Whether Layton wants to make it more difficult for Ignatieff or for Harper remains to be seen. In the past, he was more interested in making it difficult for Dion than for Harper and went so far as to parrot Harper's attacks on carbon taxes - showing a willingness to give up on his environmental credentials for an opportunity to take another dig at Dion.

Unknown said...

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this to Iraqi people?War is not a game.So he get his reward.I hope this will remembered by president bush until his death.I sellout to al-Zaidi.

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Babylonian777 said...

Asif? (As If?) What does that have to do with the Jack Layton?

Anonymous said...

You assume that Layton's "ambition" doesn't have the good of Canadian people at its heart. I disagree, I think that Layton and the NDP feel that their policies and them in a position to implement those policies are for the good of Canadians.

The most recent Angus Reid poll even says that most Canadians feel that Jack Layton best understands them and has their interests at heart in comparison to the other national party leaders.

As you well know, since it is the Liberals raison d'etre, that one can not make the changes with out being in the big chair. So I ask, why is it OK for Liberals to want power but not the NDP?

LeDaro said...

Babylonian777, easy. Not nice to make fun of anyone's name. He posted his comment under the wrong heading. He probably intended to post it under the shoes fiasco.

MoS, be at ease. Ed Broadbent was involved in the negotiations and I feel strongly that he would not go for a shoddy deal no matter whose ambition it may serve.

Anonymous said...

I don't trust that rat Jimmy Karygiannis.
Wasn't he Volpe's campaign manager for leadership?
Enough said.

Babylonian777 said...

LeDaro wrote....

"Babylonian777, easy. Not nice to make fun of anyone's name. "

This is rich, a guy who has a blog devoted to making fun of various politicians with pathetic art .gif animations scoulds me because I have a bit of fun with some guys name.

lol.

LeDaro said...

Babylonian777, politicians are a fair game and not ordinary folks. I always make fun of politicians, celebrities and whosoever gets notoriety.

Babylonian777 said...

Read what your wrote LeDaro....

"Babylonian777, easy. Not nice to make fun of anyone's name. "

NOT NICE TO MAKE FUN OF ANYONE'S NAME.

Do you make up rules as you go along, or what convenient for arguments sake?

The Mound of Sound said...

Come on, you two,knock it off!

Anonymous said...

I agree with the Broadbent comment. I don't trust Layton, but always trusted and respected Broadbent.

Anonymous said...

We have to break our word because the other guy is so distrustworthy!

Ian said...

Wow, that was a load of bull with no substance.

Here's what I just read:

"I can't trust a different party because I'm a partisan hack and trust STEPHEN HARPER more."

Give some back up to what you're saying or don't blab.

The Mound of Sound said...

Ian, I find it curious how the far rightwing nutjobs and the far leftwing nutjobs like nothing more than to spin logic into irrelevance. I can't be accountable for what you read in the midst of some partisan, logic disconnect but I am happy to be responsible for what I wrote. Far Left, Far Right, you're both pathetic.

Anonymous said...

Why is it OK for Liberals to want power but not the NDP?

The Mound of Sound said...

Quimby, who said it's not okay for the NDP to want power? That's not my point just as I'm not saying that Ignatieff should reject a deal with Layton out of hand either. All I'm saying is that my gut instinct tells me to be very wary of Jack Layton, very wary.

LeDaro said...

You're right MoS. I should not try and reason with a smart Aleck - Babylonian777.