Looks like another of Ignatieff’s MPs is opposing his ludicrous ideas. While Michael Ignatieff seems to think that two bills aiming to achieve entirely opposite goals can coexist in harmony, MP Marlene Jennings is speaking out against his stupidity.
Thursday, October 8, 2009 09:18 AM
Great time to kick your base
Robert Silver
From Don McPherson today, a column focused on a new private members bill from Thomas Mulcair that would “amend the Canada Labour Code to apply business ‘francization’ rules in the provincial Bill 101 to companies operating in Quebec under federal jurisdiction.” Mulcair makes a tortured argument on why his bill is different from two extremely similar Bloc efforts but is ultimately uncompelling in that regard.
McPherson then drops a bit of a bomb – at least to me – from Michael Ignatieff’s speech on Sunday to Quebec Liberals:
“That choice [whether to support Mulcair's private members bill applying 101 to federally regulated business in Quebec] might be especially difficult for the party of Pierre Trudeau and the Official Languages Act.
At the Liberals’ Quebec convention on the weekend, party leader Michael Ignatieff called for the promotion of French and said that ‘Bill 101 and the Official Languages Act are not in opposition, they are complementary.’
And the Liberal critic on official languages, Pablo Rodriguez, said the party might support Mulcair’s bill.
But yesterday, Liberal MP Marlene Jennings told me she would speak against Mulcair’s bill in the party caucus before a vote in the Commons on the principle of the bill.”
If any commenter can explain to me how Bill 101 and the Official Languages Act – two pieces of legislation attempting to achieve exactly opposite goals – are “not in opposition, they are complementary”, wins a signed Silver-Powers sweatshirt. Bonus points if you can explain to me why the Liberals are now taking official positions on private members bills.
Re: Private members bills.
Answer: Because they have run out of ideas and are P—–g in the wind, hoping for something or some miracle to suddenly appear from somewhere. It's not going to happen!
Until the Libs get rid of the old boys club, nothing will change. Perhaps in a few elections from now that may be the case but until then – Canadians are not so naive as to believe the almighty has arrived. Additionally, with the Liberal Senators latest asinine stand, this further exacerbates Ignatieff's hold on his caucus. Who is in charge of this party? Has anyone got a clue?
The answer being a resounding "NO!"
Yep, no idea, and no organization either. Completely useless and washed up.
Looks like Ignatieff will do anything to appear to the Quebecers as one of theirs. Won't work, though!
what kind of crap is this?
I get the sense that Mulclair is throwing out a poison pill to the liberals.
On the one hand he knows that Iggy is desparate enough to try and retain his fair weather federalist base, on the other, Mulclair is doing what he can to solidify it behind him for a shot at Jack Laytons job.
For Michael Ignatieff to say something positive like that about Bill 101 disqualifies him for the job of Prime Minister. Of course, it didn't stop Stephen Harper (who promised not to touch Bill 101) from getting the job…
The language of education provisions of both Bill 101 and section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (based upon and inspired by Bill 101) are both despicable race laws which have no place in free and democratic societies.
Decide for yourself:
http://tinyurl.com/ybgbd7l