Canada's NDP Leader Jack Layton proposes motion to bring down Liberal government on November 24

Layton calls for February election

Wed, 09 Nov 2005 CBC News Copyright

NDP Leader Jack Layton said Wednesday he will introduce a motion Nov. 24 calling for a February election, avoiding a Christmas vote.

Layton said the motion will call on Prime Minister Paul Martin to dissolve the House of Commons in the first week of January.

"This avoids the holiday election that nobody wants," Layton told a news conference in Vancouver.

But Layton's motion is not considered a confidence motion, meaning support for it from all the opposition parties won't necessarily trigger an election. It is also unclear whether the government would be bound by the motion.

Martin has promised an election would be called within 30 days after the release of the final Gomery report due Feb. 1.

"I think it's an innovative proposal. It's trying to address things that concern us all," Conservative Leader Stephen Harper told reporters in Toronto Wednesday.
Harper said he still needs some clarification on the proposal.

"I think we're moving rapidly to a three-party consensus to wrap up this Parliament," he said, adding that three opposition leaders will likely meet on Monday.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe said he still needs to analyze Layton's proposal.
"But I do think we've made an important step forward," he said.

The New Democrat leader's announcement came days after he rejected the Liberals' health-care proposal and said his party wouldn't support the Liberal government in a non-confidence vote.

The earliest date a non-confidence motion could be introduced is Nov. 15, a designated opposition day for the Conservatives.

But Harper said Tuesday his party won't introduce a non-confidence motion to topple the government because he had no faith Layton would support the move.

Harper said he was worried Layton would use the opportunity as potential leverage in his negotiations with the Liberals to get a better deal on health care.


MICHAEL McCAFFERTY comments:

Canada's NDP leader Jack Layton has made a very thoughtful and fair suggestion in order to avoid a Christmas election in Canada. It is my hope that Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper and Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe give serious consideration to Mr. Layton's proposal.