At a party last night, I commented that it is well within the realm of possibility that the CPC will engineer a lost confidence vote in order to call a snap federal election this autumn. I was chastised for thinking the Prime Minister is that low or conniving. It was argued that calling for an early vote while the Liberal Party is in the middle of a leadership campaign would be seen a far too cynical and even Harper would see that as too dangerous a gamble.
This morning, I read, in a Globe and Mail report, that the CPC is using the current crisis in the middle east to appeal for funds to fight a possible fall election.
So we see that not only is an autumn election one of the scenarios, but that the governing party is willing to use a terrible military and political crisis - Canadians and UN personnel are dying in a reckless shootout between terrorists and an unrepentant Israeli government that treats all non-Jewish lives, as expendable - for crass partisan purposes. It's seldom that I support the NDP position, but recommending Canadians, who want to help, donate to the Red Cross is far more noble and appropriate than asking them to give to the party that calls the Israeli invasion of Lebanon "fair and balanced".
Two weeks ago, the "rationale" for a snap election looked like it might be the softwood lumber deal with the USA. Now it looks like it might be for a mandate to continue support for Israel's and George Bush's US war on terrorism. How's that for a strategy to unite the country!
