Telegdi may break ranks on immigration bill

The Edmonton Journal quotes Liberal MP Andrew Telegdi as clearly not being onside with the Dion maneuver to complain and then acquiesce to the Government (H/T National Newswatch):

...But Liberal MP Andrew Telegdi, who represents the Ontario riding of Kitchener-Waterloo, said Wednesday he will vote against the bill when it comes up for third reading in the House of Commons, no matter what position his party takes.

"They can't move my seat any further back, can they?" Telegdi said in an interview, referring to his status as a backbench MP and any repercussions he might face for breaking party ranks. "It's a horrible bill..."

Mmmm. Perhaps I was wrong about Andrew being past his 'best-before" date...

Although I feel he's way off base when he calls it a 'horrible bill', you still have to give the man credit for taking a stand.

Which is more than I can say for his leader.

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Update: Looks like Telegdi may have company. John Ivison reports that "Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis, who represents Scarborough-Agincourt, said he is facing "massive" pressure within his riding to oppose the bill and he may vote against it at third reading as well."


Don Martin quotes Stephane Dion in one of his more eloquent moments:

"I will choose my time in keeping in my mind the necessity to give to Canadians in an optimal situation the possibility to have a progressive Liberal government that will replace this bad bill by a good law and that will replace this bad government by a good government," stammered Liberal leader Stephane Dion yesterday. Um, well, you figure that out...

I have to ask this question - If hell froze over and Stephane Dion actually became PM, would he really reverse the law if doing so might jeopardize his chances of retaining power?

Another one leaves the Dion Dream Team

Liberal MP Brenda Chamberlain steps down.

Well, that could partially explain her not voting on C-484.

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Update: Raphael - Liberal Faithful losing faith in Dion, the fallout begins.

RMR hits Question Period

Harper just mentioned the Mercer Report in today's Question Period. Who says Conservatives don't like the CBC?


In case you missed it, last night's was one of the best - Message from the Liberals: We're adaptable. (Second clip)

The political implications of yesterday's budget - With gossipy update

The vast majority of media pundits and bloggers seem to be suggesting that the Federal budget is basically a snoozer. It's a safe proposal with no 'poison pill' to infuriate the Liberals - and not a whole lot to either cheer or jeer about.

In today's Sun, Christina Blizzard moves on to the underlying political ramifications of the budget, such as Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan's pronouncement that it was a 'missed opportunity' (Flaherty has little for Ontario).

So what, you ask? Well according to Blizzard, the big deal here is that he said it en français. Good French in fact. This from a man who had previously declined to comment in anything but English. She sees this as a sign that Duncan is readying himself for a provincial leadership joust.

Which may put more credence in the rumour that Dalton is planning to move on to Federal politics at some point within his present mandate as Premier of Ontario.

...Federal Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said he will not force an election on the budget. So he gets to hang on to his job longer. I suspect there are more people in Canada who believe the Earth is flat than who are likely to vote for Dion. So once he disappears over the edge of that aforementioned flat Earth, there is wild speculation McGuinty will move to federal politics to restore federal Liberal fortunes...

One can only hope. (That he will move on - and share the misery)

...But if Flaherty's budget was really such a "missed opportunity," then Dion could surely force the issue and vote against it. Sure, he'd precipitate an election, but he'd send a message to voters in this province that he cares about us. Then again, since most ridings in this province -- especially the cities -- vote Liberal with knee-jerk regularity, perhaps he takes our affection for granted....

Did you hear that Ontario? Federal Liberals don't care about us and take us for granted!!!

The more Stephane Dion sits on his hands, the more Dalton McGuinty is going to look like a knight on a white charger poised to deliver the Federal Liberal party from the throes of political impotence.

It may end up as the big battle of two former Ontario premiers for the country's most coveted Liberal position.

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Update: Check this out courtesy of National Newswatch! Liberal decision comes after long, testy meeting - by Globe's Jane Taber:

...Mr. Ignatieff is on the "hawk" side of the caucus. Many of his supporters want to go to the polls now so as not to be seen continually supporting the Tory economic agenda.

But he was shot down, most significantly by national campaign co-chair David Smith, a veteran organizer and senator from Ontario. Mr. Smith said simply that the party wasn't ready to mount a national campaign, one insider said.

Others argued that they should not acquiesce to Mr. Harper by triggering an election that he seems to want; the election should be called on their terms and timing.

"It's a mess," said one MP about the state of play in the caucus over triggering the government's defeat. Some MPs believe that if the campaign team is not ready, after being put on notice as far back as the fall, then the leader should fire them all...

Of course, any regular readers of this blog know who's really pulling the strings.

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Excellent post here by A BCer in Toronto: If not now, when?...

Mutiny on the Dion?

Did anyone else see the end of MDL last night where Jean LaPierre and Joel-Denis Bellavance were talking about how Bob Rae has suddenly emerged as the controlling factor in the party, and how Dion's orders to get ready for an election are basically being ignored?

JDB called it a "Silent Revolt".

I can't find that clip on the CTV site. Was I dreaming?

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Interesting Sidebars: CNEWS - Court ruling helps Dion, former rivals reduce leadership debts.

Liberal MP's unlikely to vote against budget say top Grits - Hill Times.

Riots in Belgrade

Caveat alerted me to this one - U.S. embassy in Belgrade set on fire. (CTV)

Now what's that you were saying again, Stephane?

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Check out the related CTV video footage at the right on the CTV site, especially the interview with Dusan Batakovic, Serbian ambassador to Canada.

Interesting comments about whether or not Canada should recognize Kosovo's independence the way the U.S. has done, and the way Stephane Dion has declared we should do.

Related - Socialist Gulag: The more I learn about Kosovo...

CTV - Serbia's ambassador tells Ottawa to exercise caution.

CBC - Body found inside Embassy...

Friday Update - Chretien: Canada in tough spot over Kosovo. (CTV)