Results tagged “stéphanedion”

The Liberal Party of Canada's national convention in Vancouver this past weekend produced few surprises, with delegates officially crowning Toronto Member of Parliament Michael Ignatieff as leader of the once-mighty red machine. One development that did catch our attention, however, was the unveiling on Saturday of the party's new logo, which replaces the maple-leaf-as-rising-sun insignia in use since 2004. According to the accompanying news release, the new logo "symbolizes a re-energized Liberal Party emerging from a process of renewal engaging all Liberal members." A fascinating claim, given that the new wordmark is nothing more than the word "Liberal" in Times New Roman, emblazoned with a maple leaf that appears to have been cribbed from the cover of Maclean's.

                

It's been a tumultuous month so far in Canadian politics, with an unlikely centre-left coalition seeking to oust the newly re-elected Conservatives from power in Ottawa. But although Prime Minister Stephen Harper put the kibosh on the opposition's attempt to boot him from office before year's end, Saturday's duelling noontime pro- and anti-coalition rallies in Toronto went on as planned, showing just how much this unusual crisis has shaken residents across the political spectrum.

The Canadian Press is reporting that Stéphane Dion will announce his resignation as Liberal leader today, clearing the way for Etobicoke—Lakeshore member of Parliament Michael Ignatieff to be installed as the party's new chief in a caucus vote on Wednesday. Fellow Toronto MP and leadership contender Bob Rae isn't going down without a fight, though: in an email to supporters yesterday, the former NDP premier of Ontario called on Liberals to demand that grassroots members have a say in the selection of their new leader. As for the Liberal-NDP coalition, the future of the nascent partnership is murky: Ignatieff has been decidedly cool to the idea, and there are rumblings of dissent in the Liberal ranks. Click here to discuss the tumultuous soap opera that is the Canadian political scene.

Several news outlets are reporting that Stéphane Dion's tenure is about to end. Despite earlier coalition promises to keep him on as head of the Liberal Party and as the coalition's proposed Prime Minister, the ranks are growing restive and don't feel he has the capacity to lead them effectively into power. The mechanics: according to Liberal Party rules, when a leader resigns the caucus may select an interim leader to head the party until a national party vote can be held. Ignatieff has a clear majority of caucus support, and if the national executive decides to pursue the caucus selection process, will be installed as leader at least until the party's national convention in May. Bob Rae is, unsurprisingly, fighting this proposal on the grounds that it is elitist and leaves ordinary Liberals (especially those in western provinces, who have no elected MPs to represent them in a caucus vote) out of the process. Click here to join Torontoist's ongoing conversation about the recent parliamentary shenanigans.

One hundred and forty-two minutes: That's how long it took Prime Minister Stephen Harper to emerge from Rideau Hall this morning to announce that Governor General Michaëlle Jean had granted his request to prorogue, or suspend, Parliament until Jan. 26. The first item on the agenda upon the resumption of Parliament will be the presentation of a federal budget. In comments to reporters, the prime minister pledged to try to address the opposition parties' concerns with respect to stimulus for the beleaguered economy. Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, NDP Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe all say that the possibility of a Liberal-NDP coalition is still in the cards. Click here to discuss Harper's prorogation move and Canada's continuing political drama.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will speak to the nation tonight at 7 p.m. in a televised address that could spell out his plan to stave off defeat at the hands of an unprecedented Liberal-NDP coalition. The address comes in the middle of a public relations blitz from both sides of the political battle, featuring websites, newspaper editorials, and attack ads. Protests are also being organized across the country, including duelling rallies in Toronto planned for Saturday, December 6 at noon, with coalition supporters meeting at Nathan Phillips Square and the anti-coalition side gathering at Queen's Park. Get your placards ready! Click here to discuss the coalition crisis and wildly speculate on Harper's last-ditch plans.

After a weekend of negotiation and conjecture, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion and New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton this afternoon signed an accord pledging to work together in a coalition government until June 30, 2011, should the Conservative government be defeated in a vote of non-confidence. Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe also signed on, agreeing that his party will support the coalition until at least 2010. Under the accord, Stéphane Dion would be prime minister until the Liberal Party picks its new leader in May 2009; the new cabinet would consist of twenty-four members, including six New Democrats, with a Liberal finance minister. Click here to discuss the coalition deal and the unprecedented political drama engulfing the nation.

680 News and the Canadian Press are reporting that the Liberal Party will introduce a motion to bring down the Harper Conservative government on Monday and will attempt to form a coalition government with the NDP. According to the Canadian Press, Stéphane Dion will become prime minister should the Conservative government fall. Click here to discuss this story and to read Torontoist's round-up of the political events of the past twenty-four hours.

It was barely a month ago that the Harper Conservatives were returned to government with a strengthened minority and politicians of all stripes were pledging to work together to steer Canada through the global financial storm. But after Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivered an economic update yesterday that promised to end pay-equity programs, suspend federal employees' right to strike, and eliminate the subsidy for political parties (a move that would financially cripple the Liberals, NDP, and Bloc, but not the Conservatives), all three opposition leaders declared that either the Tories would have to blink or the government falls.

Grit leader Stéphane Dion, who last Tuesday led his team to one of its worst electoral showings since Confederation, has announced that he will resign as head of the Liberal Party of Canada effective May 2009. Thus begins a leadership race in which high-profile Toronto MPs Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae are considered front-runners, and that could draw in GTA Liberal luminaries including—but certainly not limited to—former provincial education minister Gerard Kennedy, hockey great Ken Dryden, former federal immigration minister Joe Volpe, and lawyer Martha Hall Findlay. Be sure to check Torontoist later in the week for a rundown of the possible local contenders for the Liberal throne.

Four children aged approximately 8 to 9 years old were taken to hospital yesterday after ingesting or coming into contact with a pool cleaning agent—believed to be muriatic acid—at a Royal Canadian Yacht Club swimming pool yesterday. For those of you unfamiliar with the name "muriatic acid," you will be relieved to find out that it's just another name for plain old hydrochloric acid. Aren't you relieved?

Federal Liberal leader Stéphane Dion hints that Canadians may be ready for a federal election this fall. Still, Dion is hoping to receive a signed, notarized affidavit from every single Canadian of voting age assuring him that they are absolutely, 100 percent cool with having an election; otherwise it's off.

So, you may have noticed it snowed this weekend. If you don't believe us, go check out the Toronto Star's website, where nine out of ten local stories are about the snow, people dealing with the snow, and celebrities talking about the snow. Notably absent among them: the probable cause for all of this snow.