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The Canadian Champion, Wednesday, December 3, 2008 - A5 Opposition parties ignoring election outcomne: Raitt mp n' nhaveite rigbî b goverosm î Michacîle Jean that shc sftocld cali on Dioni to form a new government as the parties make up a combined 55 per cent of the seats in the House of Commons. Conservative Halton MP and Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt, less than two months intc, her first term of office as a politi- cian, said the Liberals, NDP and Bloc were ignoring the strength- ened minority mandate Uisa Raitt given to Harper in the October 14 federal election. "Where we are today is because of the NDP and the Bloc determining many weeks ago to get rid of Stephen Harper wbatever the cost," Raitt told tbe Cbatrifon. She was alluding to a taped recording released by the Gonservatives this past week- end in wýhich NOF ILeadler jack Lastoni appears 10 acknowledge he bad spoken wo Bloc leader Gilles Duceppc "a long ime ago- about a possible movc bo getlIlarper and hus party out of power Raitt ecboed Harpers commenis in Question Perîod Tuesclas; challengîng Lîberal leader Dion to anoîber lection. "(We) wdîl use evers means possible to make sure thîs attack on Canada, ibis attack on democracy is not going wo bc allosved,. sbe saîd. Moves to form the coalition gos'ernimeni moved quickly after Finance Minister im Flahertv's econom .ic updaîe T hurscîas Opposition parties were încensed by îbrec aspects-of the statement: tbe fack of what they believe is an adequate stimulus package t0 help Canada's falening economy, a temr- porary freeze on the right of public servants voic0 x i i -i î0. i,ýi ý :-' Following the update, the Conservatives moved swiftly to contain the damage of what outspoken Halton Liberal candidate Garth Turner, who lost his seat wo Raitt in the past election, has called a "mean-spirited" eco- normicplan. The govemrment announced over the weekend that it wouldn't follow througb on its plan wo ban public service strikes and that it wouldn'î yet redurce the subsidies for polit- irai parties. In perbaps tbe most important announcemient, Flaherty' saîd Sunclay the Conservatives would table its 2009 budget January 27, two montbs abead of scbedule, and it would include an economic stimulus flot mentioned in the economic update, fea- turing plans to belp Ontarios sîruggling auto sec tor. [bat stimulus would be about two per cent of Caniadas GDP, Ratt said. None of those reversaIs bas dissuaded tbe opposition parties fiom thecir plans wo knock the C.onsersatives from power. StecSavage. leader of îtceI iberal riding associationi for IlaIton, said lhe was "over- oscd- at the political tom 0of events. - laqrci sdisastrous two-ecar reign bas ended and Canada can finafîs begin wo address important economnic inatiers: be saîd. -Wbile other counitries arc proaciivels planning cfforts tii shelier ibenr people lromn the global economnic faflout, (i lar-per) and bis tcaîn stand idle antI ineffec tise.' Political observer and aiithor Petet Rcsscil saîd therc arc seseral possible oui- cornes to the c urrcnt poîîtic aI gainesnsiansbiy iii Ottawa. One îs tirati 1larper aslcs the gos- crnor general 10 annrounce a ncsx federal lecion if be foses the confidencc soie. -[hi next is tbat the gosernor general reeognize5 the petition of the tbrec opposition partie5 ernot gencial 10 tcmporaiily suspenîd oi pro- rogue the current Legslative sessioni before tbe confidence vote and recaîl Parliainent just before Flaherty is tc, release the budget. The Professor Emeritus of the University of Toronto and author of 'Two Cbeers for a Minonity Government'saîd 1larpers govern- îfic popolýîi Sol iittlai ýLCIicîoil "We're a Parîiamentary systen,- he said. "If Mr. Harper cant command (the Parliament's) confidence, we must have a PM that can command its confidence." Tim Foran may bc reaclîed at tforan@amiî- îonc anadianchampion.coml. Correction An article in Fniday's Cliampion entitîed Thc Towsn of Milton îs seekîng $7.5 mil- Town seeks funding for $40 million arts lion front each of ibe two upper gos-cm- centre and library' incorrectîy stated the ments. amnount of funding being sought rom the We apologize for the error and any provincial and federal govemments. inconvenience it may base caused. PADERNO c " a aT a A LEr ('FA ICLAIAD) Take an addi*ti*onal üff on a huge seleetion of alread.,ý- redueed priees on liolidaN Fashimi F.1hrivýý X- Basics! Christillas 1) -voi. à- liblemeill". Notious & Gifts! H(-a(l.% -tii-(;o Home Deroi. é(- Hmue Decoi. b% the illetre. éý sem 11111ch illoi-e! And on Our Regalar Prires Everyone on anything else* Saves mot alreae- on sale! î Further reductions in effect December 1-24th. Shop early for best selection. 'Excluding promotional & special purchases 547 Main St. E. MILTON 878mO931