Liberals win surprise budget vote. (In other words, Conservatives got OWNED)

[aquariaguy]

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...acodalogin=yes

OTTAWA - Paul Martin's Commons corps dusted off a rarely used procedural tactic just before midnight Thursday to bamboozle furious Conservatives and pass contentious Liberal-NDP budget amendments.

The Conservatives could only sputter and fume after their unofficial partners in the Bloc Quebecois deserted them to join the Liberals and the NDP to cut off debate on the budget and move up a vote on same-sex marriage.

The realization of what had occurred only dawned on the Tories as they gazed around the shuttle buses that normally ferry MPs back to their offices and realized there wasn't a Liberal in sight.

Every available Liberal MP was cloistered in the Commons lobby waiting to spring into a vote to cut off debate. The Liberals, the Bloc and New Democrats made extraordinary use of a rule allowing for cutting off debate on the budget if they agreed the Conservatives were being obstructionist.

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper poured scorn on the alliance.

"When push comes to shove the Liberals will make any deal with anybody," Harper said after he was forced to rush back for a midnight vote. "And it doesn't matter whether it's with the socialists or with the separatists or any bunch of crooks they can find."

Though the Bloc stood with the Tories in the midnight budget ballotting, the Liberals still mustered five more votes than the Tory-Bloc alignment; several Conservative MPs were absent.

The Liberals were taking a monumental gamble. A loss on the vote would force the prime minister to dissolve Parliament and call a summer election.

But Liberal strategists were confident they had caught the Conservatives unawares and decided to risk their government for a decisive victory.

"I hope they can count," Liberal MP Shawn Murphy said of Liberal strategists as MPs milled around before the vote.

The Tories, who had boldly predicted they could topple the Liberal government on the budget vote, were suddenly complaining they had members missing.

A few Conservatives were missing from their seats in an earlier vote Thursday evening. More could been seen racing back up Parliament Hill when news broke of the impending budget showdown.

They reacted with unfiltered rage.

Conservative deputy leader Peter MacKay described his foes as a ménage a trois between separatists, socialists and power-hungry Liberals.

Liberals claims of making the minority Parliament work was "all just one big, fat stinking lie" and then went further, comparing the Liberals to one of Hollywood's most heinous homicidal cannibals.

"We have to start thinking that Hannibal Lecter is running the government and they'll do anything they have to do to win."

Liberals could barely contain their glee in response.

"Its not surprising that Hannibal Lecter should spring to mind for Mr. MacKay given the growing number of Conservatives who believe the party should soon eat its own leader," said Scott Reid, the prime minister's spokesman.

The Liberals handily won the earlier vote to extend the sitting of this session of Parliament after they promised to bring their controversial same-sex legislation to a vote.

It was the first such extension since the free-trade debate raged in the dog days of 1988.

The Bloc Quebecois threw its weight behind the extension vote after extracting a promise from the Liberals that same-sex legislation will be dealt with before the session ends.

MPs are expected to adopt the same-sex bill by a healthy margin.

It passed second reading last month in a 163-138 vote and is already the law in every jurisdiction except Prince Edward Island, Alberta, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.

Both the Bloc and the NDP support it, overwhelming the Tories and three dozen or so Liberal backbenchers who oppose it.

The Liberals carefully gauged the absences in the Commons before pulling their surprise move Thursday, knowing where their opposition stood and mindful of their close shave last month when they survived a Tory-Bloc non-confidence move by only one vote.

The Tories and the Bloc have said all along they would vote against the amendment, which would add $4.6 billion in social spending to the budget.

Earlier, several Tories said privately they don't want an election, don't expect one, and have no desire to topple the government right now.

It would be novel political strategy for the Tories to trigger an election now - 12 points behind the Liberals in the latest Decima poll released Thursday, and threatening to send the country to the polls in August for the first time since 1953.

Even an election-hungry Bloc - which is poised to sweep Quebec - seems more anxious to hit cottage country than the campaign trail.

"For the moment I don't intend to order the (election) machine kick-started again," Gauthier said.

"Personally, I'd prefer to go for my vacation soon and maybe the fall would be a better moment for a general election.

"But I am always ready."

It was the Bloc's co-operation that made an extension possible. The Commons had been scheduled to start its three-month summer break Thursday.

Initially lukewarm to the idea, the Bloc changed its tune after an exchange of letters between Gauthier and Liberal House leader Tony Valeri.

Valeri promised "that C-38 would be dealt with at all stages before the House would adjourn."

That was good enough for the Bloc - which had said it wanted a written guarantee that C-38 would come to a vote if there were an extension.

[Ojam]

haah thats awesome, there was an episode of "The West Wing" where I think senators(?) did the same thing.

[aquariaguy]

I can just picture the Conservatives running across the grass with their Blackberry getting yelled at from Harper for skipping.

[b0r3d]

lol.. i find the Conservatives are to sneaky and look how imature they react to this. Can only imagine how messed up things would be with them in power.

I just dont like the Conservatives for the sneakyness

I can just picture the Conservatives running across the grass with their Blackberry getting yelled at from Harper for skipping.

[Iron Chef Ajax]

lol.. i find the Conservatives are to sneaky and look how imature they react to this. Can only imagine how messed up things would be with them in power.

I just dont like the Conservatives for the sneakyness

About time the budget passed. Wonder when GTA will see any of the funds?

[aquariaguy]

lol.. i find the Conservatives are to sneaky and look how imature they react to this. Can only imagine how messed up things would be with them in power.

I just dont like the Conservatives for the sneakyness

I agree with you. The Liberals are sneaky too, but they are smart. We need smart sneaky people instead of stupid immature, wannabe-sneaky, cry-babies who call other people names. Hannibal. Lol

[Txiasaeia]

I'm not surprised. It's the same sort of underhanded tactic that the Liberals have been pursuing for years now. Want to get rich quicker, but don't have the capital? Just funnel some taxpayer's funds to your buddies in Quebec. Want to tick conservatives off and at the same time create more income for your federal government? Gun registry. Want to win a vote that you couldn't normally otherwise win? Make sure your party is there, and all other parties that support you, but don't bother to mention it to the opposition.

Liberal supporters can be as gleeful as they want, but the fact remains that if conservatives in power had tried to pull this, the tone of the news article would have been furious rather than amused. With Martin trying to remain in power by any means, honourable or dishonourable, it's a wonder that Canadians are still seemingly-willing to trust him.

[Txiasaeia]

I agree with you. The Liberals are sneaky too, but they are smart. We need smart sneaky people instead of stupid immature, wannabe-sneaky, cry-babies who call other people names. Hannibal. Lol

No, what we need are politicians who are honourable and who try to gain the respect of the Canadian public, rather than rushing around in the dark, cutting deals with the "separatists" (the liberals have been blasting the conservatives for this for *months!*), and assuring their victory because they didn't let the other team know that they were starting without them.

Honestly, does this entire spectacle make anybody trust the Liberals more?

[Byrns]

So is Belinda going to cross back to the Tories tomorrow now that the Liberals are now in bed with the Bloc?

[elty]

I'm not surprised. It's the same sort of underhanded tactic that the Liberals have been pursuing for years now. Want to get rich quicker, but don't have the capital? Just funnel some taxpayer's funds to your buddies in Quebec. Want to tick conservatives off and at the same time create more income for your federal government? Gun registry. Want to win a vote that you couldn't normally otherwise win? Make sure your party is there, and all other parties that support you, but don't bother to mention it to the opposition.

Liberal supporters can be as gleeful as they want, but the fact remains that if conservatives in power had tried to pull this, the tone of the news article would have been furious rather than amused. With Martin trying to remain in power by any means, honourable or dishonourable, it's a wonder that Canadians are still seemingly-willing to trust him.

Ok, let's say EVERYONE in Conservative is here. Will they win? Nope.

Also, how could u know if Conservative is in power then the media will be furious? I dont think that will happen, unless Conservative is really stupid and not welcome at all among Canadian. (Which should not be the case IF they are actually in power).

And, the reaction from Conservative is just funny. They accused the Liberal to co operate with the "seperatist"? I thought they did the exact same thing.

[gman]

Again, I can see Harper is eating his shoes again with this statement.

"When push comes to shove the Liberals will make any deal with anybody," Harper said after he was forced to rush back for a midnight vote. "And it doesn't matter whether it's with the socialists or with the separatists or any bunch of crooks they can find."

socialist = NDP
Separatists = Bloc
Who is "any bunch of crooks they can find"?

[elty]

No, what we need are politicians who are honourable and who try to gain the respect of the Canadian public, rather than rushing around in the dark, cutting deals with the "separatists" (the liberals have been blasting the conservatives for this for *months!*), and assuring their victory because they didn't let the other team know that they were starting without them.

Honestly, does this entire spectacle make anybody trust the Liberals more?

What you are looking for is definitely not a Conservative then.

Honestly, I think real Conservative supporter should think about why their party is so unpopular among Canadian, if Liberal really sucks that much. Instead of attacking your opposition, why not try to build up yourself? Playing the blame game do not help anything. You do not have to give up your principle, but you can certainly present it better.

[chickenbones]

The better of two evils... Calling the other side cannibals is real mature...

[aquariaguy]

It's funny what Scott said back to McKay after he made the Hannibal joke. Man the liberals are awesome with comebacks. Conservatives always get shutdown.

[gilboman]

So is Belinda going to cross back to the Tories tomorrow now that the Liberals are now in bed with the Bloc?

the liberals dont have to oppose everything the bloc does and the bloc has always supported samesex marriage. but supporting one issue same as the bloc is different than an alliance the conservatives formed with the bloc.

but of course you probably dont understand such a simple concept if you need to ask.