Updated: Mon Dec. 15 2008 7:33:54 PM

CTV.ca News Staff

Liberal finance critic Scott Brison says his party can't offer ideas on a stimulus package until Finance Minister Jim Flaherty hands over fiscal numbers that are "honest, up-to-date, accurate and reliable."

Brison, along with Liberal economic chair John McCallum, met with Flaherty in Toronto on Monday for discussions ahead of the January 27th federal budget.

"We can't go on to develop a really sound stimulus package for the future without having realistic numbers we can count on in terms of the present economic and fiscal situation," Brison told CTV Newsnet on Monday.

Brison said Liberals were concerned with the numbers put forth in last month's economic update.

He said the numbers were "too rosy and did not reflect the reality of the Canadian economy and in fact they weren't giving Canadians the full truth about the fiscal situation."

Brison said he also discussed the sale of government assets with Flaherty during Monday's meeting.

"We addressed our concerns around asset sales and the need to have a real plan that we can believe in and rely on in terms of asset sales to meet the projections he's making," Brison said.

"I am hopeful and indeed confident that Minister Flaherty will come back to us on both counts -- a plan that we can consider to be a realistic one around asset sales and fiscal numbers that we can depend on."

Prior to the meeting, Flaherty said he was open to hearing suggestions from the Liberals about how to stimulate the economy.

CTV's Rosemary Thompson, reporting from Ottawa, said the Tories want specific proposals from the opposition that they can include in the budget.

"They don't want wide, blue-sky ideas," Thompson told CTV Newsnet on Monday, prior to the meeting.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has promised to bring down the minority Conservative government if the January 27th budget does not include ways to boost the economy.

"I believe, based on our meeting today, that there is an openness with Minister Flaherty and the government to actually co-operate with us and to work with us," Brison said.

On Wednesday, Flaherty will meet with his provincial and territorial counterparts in Saskatoon.

With files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

Edward
Scott Brison would love nothing better than to see the government in deficit. I would not want Mr. Brison running canada's finances. Let's not forget if the car companies are bailed out, every other industry in canada will want the same treatment from the government. As canadians our federal taxes will have to increase greatly

Herb
Wait a minute! If I recall, the CONs ran the last election based on the fact that they had a plan and that their preemptive measures would protect Canada from a global downturn! Surely such a competent and well-prepared group must have a stimulus package/budget already written...and why are they asking Liberals for their input when they (the CONs) ran the last election saying that the Liberals don't know how to run an economy? Did Harper and Flaherty tell us lies?

james
Well..looks like the Conservatives are trying. Now up to the Liberals to put their actions where their mouths are. I would like to know who "many" of Scott Brison's economist are.

A government inclusive of separatists, implicitly or explicitly, is unacceptable. Brison either cooperates or we should go to the polls.

Jo in Gtown
We all have to realize that the entire world is experiencing economic woes ... not just Canada. I don't believe there is a quick fix, too many jobs have been lost and sent overseas when we should have kept them here. It all boils down to greed.
We can't fix this alone, and as much as I hate to say it, we have to wait and see what Obama has up his sleeves, the US has a tremendous impact on what happens here.
Even if Harper and his government come up with the "magic potion" to cure the world's ills, the others will squawk and disagree as they only care about having power anyway.

Mike R
Harper can't win, no matter what he does. The libs will never agree with him as they hate him too much. If by chance he does get the libs to side with him, he will have sold the country to do it.

The gov't is just too dysfunctional to work anymore. Unfortunately the parties are too busy just trying to stay alive to even care about Canadians. It's all about them.

Doug Ontario
I'm sure is's a good idea to listen to the Liberals, even though Ignatieff says the three-headed cabal is solid and he will not negotiate with the Prime Minister. I hope the government keeps on the steady course it's on by cutting spending in government, putting money into infrastructure programs across the country, and working to maintain confidence in the markets with prudent bailout funds where necessary. I don't think the finance minister will fall for any liberal gimmicks, like robbing the UI fund.

Andrew
lets see if the liberals still insist on their 1.95/vote, everone needs to help save their job, with tax payers money.

Mark Aubere Moricey
Bail outs, well at least for the 'Big three' , immigration rules to help companies hire immigrants not yet arrived in Canada... but where is the vision, where is the plan, where is the economic plan, where is the help to train Canadian workers laid off or soon to be laid off get the skills that these companies will need in the future????
The Government has finite financial resources so when is it going to run out of money to help Canadian workers and the middle class - not immigrant workers of the future - before or after it runs out of money bailing out speicific companies???? Remember this is the same Government that has an aversion to deficits after it spent a 10b$ surplus to convince us to vote for them and then tried to tell us that they spent it because they knew there was a recession coming...

Mark Aubere Moricey

Tory Twit.
I thought we were only in a "Structural Recession" and that the Fundamentals of our economy were strong.

Clearly the Tories have No Plan for the economy.
Flaherty should consult the 18 new senators.

wayne near the 'peg
Please, please, please don't panic and try to go for some magical quick fix. Don't throw billions of dollars at "the problem". If your credit cards are maxed out, and your two car loans are late, and you can't pay your mortgage, the solution to your "problem" is not another loan to pay off your debt. The solution is to change whatever has to be changed so you can spend less than you make and live. It's going to be painful for the whole world to learn to live within its means. It will take time, but it has to happen. It's the only thing that is sustainable. Stick to your guns Steve.

Michelle
They can talk but it is too late. Santa is already giving them a lump of coal and he won't forgive them for playing partisan politics during a time when we need them to focus on the economy.

Peter Rapsey
Just the fact that the Tories are talking seems to me a selling point for the Coalition being there. Maybe Mr. Harper is starting to get the message that competence in governing while in a minority starts with working WITH the other parties...not partisan politics.

Fred Thompson Whitehorse
Mr. Flaherty is giong to listen to the Liberals. I hope he has brought his ear defenders. The idea of spending tax payers money without the imput of the provinces, territories and knowing the position of the American government is not only irrational it's irresponsible.

It is easy to through money around. The trick is to make the money go as far as possible. Use it where it will do the most good and have the longest lasting residual effect.

If there is to be a deficit it must be carefully planned and must be as small as possible. No deficit is always the best way. There is no way to spend your way out of debt.

As for the Liberals and their threats and bullying of Mr. Flaherty I say to Mr. Flaherty Take your time look at the long term and make the right choises for our county.

I'm sure that you will not be able to please everyone, especialy those that have no plan but chose to charge ahead blindly. We all know who these are! Good luck!

Connie from Alberta
I hope this meeting is in good faith. We know what they were doing behind the scenes last time when they were saying they were putting aside partisan politics. The Tories really need to demonstrate they have changed as their words have truly lost meaning.

terri
It will not look good on the Liberals or the NDP if the Conservatives are trying to cooperate like the VOTERS have asked and all that comes out of their mouths is ,not good enough,we are going to take them down. Honestly we are on to them,don't they realize that?

Goldens
Let us hope that this will gives us stability for a while. Stable, sensible government is what is needed in these tough economic conditions. I think Iggy is intelligent enough to understand if he doesn't co-operation with the Prime Minister and Government to get us through these rough times Canadians will punish him at the polls and his tenure as Liberal leader will be very short.
John Wilson
Bridgetown NS

Andy Bryski
The Prime Minister was correct when he said our economy would not be as seriously affected as the rest of the global economy.
To stay the course was a good plan because we can only react to what happens with the American economy.The Coalition's "plan" was to throw tax payers money into a pit on the perception that they were saving the economy. There is a flaw that has been in place in our economy for a lifetime. We need new trading partners and the PM realizes this as he has already commenced discussion with the EU. Until we diversify, we will always be the mouse that has to give way to the elephant. Rather than giving tax payers money to a bloated auto industry and an arrogant CAW, we should commit that money to urban transportation and an efficient rail system to properly support the Atlantic and Pacific Gateway initiatives.

Cliff
Bob Rae tried to spend his way out of a recession while Premier of Ontario and all he accomplished was to leave us with a bigger dficit and debt.

A recession is natural as the economy goes through its cycles we all just need to stay calm and ride it out.

Debt caused the problem and going into more debt will not solve the problem.

Adamwolf
Oh give me a break people. This has been a long time coming. The forecast was there and its been there for a long long time. Just look at Detroit...their industrial base has been disappearing overtime and this is just the final gong. As to political promises, wake up, broken promises have always been there. Its always about politics and getting the next vote. The Liberal promised a lot even getting rid of the GST hidden or otherwise...did they...nope never happened. And when they did keep a promise (military helicopter cancellation it cost the taxpayer billions - even when there was evidence to show our investment at the time would have yielded billions in revenues - instead they listened to a vocal minority and instead of billions in revenue it cost the taxpayer billions). As to why the conservatives are turning to the liberals it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the numbers if they don't at least listen and implement some of what the liberals want....they will....that is they will be defeated in the house and you can bet we will see the coalition or we will go to an election. But I would first make a bet on the Coalition...and then we will really be in trouble - third world countries look out here comes Canada. This is a global recession. Any Canadian bale-out would only be spit in the bucket and just be throwing good money after bad. Unless paycuts are made all round manufacturing will continue to go where the labor is cheaper...even Bombardier has moved some of its plants to other cheap labor countries - and they are looking to layoff....lets see where they layoff.

Jan
Sofar the Liberals have only expressed hatred to the Govt. Mr.Flaherty should be suspicious of any advice given by McCallum and Brison, these two are cunnining and not to be trusted.

Anthony
Ever since Bryson got married he became a financial expert. Must be that home economics that is doing it. Eventhough technically speaking - as far as automakers are concern this is not a bailout, but loan, it may turn out to be an uncollectable one !

B. Kelley, Ontario
Government is like an iceberg. Only 20% of what goes on is seen by the public, regardless of the party in power. Ignatieff says that he won't negotiate - yeah, right! Maybe not in public view but in the back room you can bet the house on Sussex Drive that a great deal of negotiation will be going on. "I'll drop the coalition if you (fill in the blank)" A couple of martinis, a little give and take in both official languages and voila! The Conservative minority lives on. All the complaints, hand-wringing, rhetoric, criticisms etc. that follow in the public eye will have been carefully choreographed in that back room. In politics, image is everything and, aided by a gullible press, we will once again cheer our heroes and boo our villains in the make-believe fantasy world of Disneyland North otherwise know as Parliament.

Scott in Halifax
For all those that say the Cons didn't have a plan, think again. They have to come up with something now so that the "bozo parties" agree. Otherwise, they will push forth this ridiculous Coalition and quite possibly force another election next year. It's better to do what the "bozo's" want now, just to keep the peace. It's too hard to run a government with clowns as the opposition.

westguy
not sure how you think hiring ministers at 140,500 for 70 days work helps our economy,quit thinking that Canadians are dumb and just get on with the overtaxing and lying youve been so famous of doing all along.Unions have ruined the country and always have and liberals are the next worst thing to ever happen to this country.i wish quebec would hurry up and seperate

Cale
It's about time. The Liberals better put up or shut up and work with the gov't like they like to tell us they will.

The public wants an end to the nonsense, and guess what?

We also do NOT want an election.

So, get to work! All of you!

Jake Smelly-Mann
Thie $16 billion would be similar to the 1.5% of GDP that Europe is implmenting.

Cory - Toronto
It is so very interesting...and comical, to see posts against the Conservatives for actng responsibly. It really doesn't matter what the Conservatives do... to the extreme left they will do wrong no matter what. The Liberals had better be very careful what they vote against. If they try and take down the Conservatives, they will be close to wiped out in an election. The electorate is already angry at the idea of a coalition and the 1.95 per vote. If they decide to vote against a package to help the economy...they will pay heavily at the polls and Iggy will be another Liberal leader to not become PM. Maybe a trend starting.

Elizabeth S. Hutton
ditto to Fred Thompson's comment

MIchael (Ottawa)
"If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall find that we have lost the future":
Winston Churchill

It is incumbent on the opposition to COOPERATE with the government NOT dictate what is or is not going to be government policy. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has shown he is on top of the situation and is taking measures to consult with those he should to gain s much input as possible.

According to British Parliamentary procedure and tradition this coalition of losers in the last election does NOT MEET CERTAIN CONDITIONS to become the government which means if they bring down this government that the people just installed then the GG will be obligated to call an election at which time the people of Canada will surely hand the Liberals and NDP their political heads on a platter.

Scott Brison is a lawyer and while he fancies himself as man about town and now an economist he failed to impress in his last role.

Marcel
Mr. Harper and Mr. Flaherty have no new ideas on the economic situation. They should be helping out the many people who have lost their jobs. I understand they have to consult, but they should be taking action also.

Walter
I do not understand why the news media wastes our time giving air time to people like Brison and Layton....

AZ
Herb,

You can not be that out of touch with reality, can you? or maybe it's an education thing???

The Conservatives are working with the parties to try and make the government work. Even if they had the perfect economic plan, they would have to alter it to appease the other parties, or they would be kicked out of office.

The Conservatives did have a plan, but when 3 other parties formed a coalition to kick you out, you need to change your plans.

That is one problem with the Coalition, there are about 100 different "theories" on how to stimulate the economy, and if they feel the conservatives don't pick the right one, they will topple them??? Right now the weatherman looks more accurate then most economists with their forecasts.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

az

Stuart
Wow! All we need to do now is precipitate a constitutional crisis every time we want the Conservatives to consult with key stakeholders. Awesome. :|

ET
Oh, maybe we should listen to the opposition...doesn't mean we'll tell them the truth, but since we almost lost power, we gotta give the appearance of doing something.

Chris Hodgson in Ontariariari-Oh
This is more political posturing,the liberals will criticize the conservatives if they dont think there is enough stimulus money and yet should they get back in power they will play their old shell game with the finances,spend a pile of money on a politically expedient stimulus and then pull the money out of other expenditures,like the military.Its all just smoke and mirrors,all you have to do is look to when Chretien was elected in 1993 and they inherited a deficit from Mulroney the liberals praised Paul Martin for years after for slaying the deficit.The reality was what happened was devestating for the provinces and municipalities as Martin slashed money to transfer payments to provincial governments and downloaded services to the provinces.This resulted in huge layoffs and downloading of services from the provinces to the municipalities that still are affecting many muicipalities ability to deliver services to this day.Yet,the liberal spin masters and their media darlings have played this hero worship of Paul Martin for years.The liberals will not be able to do as they have in the past because circumstances are different as this is not a local problem but global and there politics of old wont provide the solution.If there is monies available for infrastructure in our current budget lets get it out there but if more money is to thought needed to be spent lets spend it wisely.

Political bashers ill informed
@Tory(Lib)Twit:

Please educate yourself on what a "structural recession" is, you have it backwards.

Political bashers ill informed
@Tory(Lib)Twit:

Please educate yourself on what a "structural recession" is, you have it backwards.

Earl Robert
I have a few questions for those that are having financial problems. 1- Are you prepared to take a job that pays less? 2- Have you looked for a temporary job? Are you willing to re-locate? If the answer to any of these questions is YES then simply DO IT!

Joe Sanity
It kind of makes you wonder what the books would have looked like if the Tories weren't so eager to slash that 2% off the GST .That was a mistake from the word go. To get $1000 in tax relief you would have to spend $50000! Don't know who they were thinking of when they did it, but it wasn't anybody close to average. Flaherty needs all the help he can get from the Liberals.

Tom P St Kitts
Deficit spending is not a wise move, we are already deep enough in the hole and the bleeding hearts Liberals and NDP want to put us deeper. Mr Flaherty don't knuckle under to them.

JP in North Saanich
Flaherty - 2 points-
one your screwed up and said the wrong things like you boss Harper.
Second - if you bail out the auto workers- dont forget the pulp and paer workers who lost there job, the forest workers who lost there jos, and talk to you co minister - Veterans affairs and dont foregt you presnt vets and future vets.
PS_ and dont forget HELP for the Seniors whom you been playing with their pensions.
You csn not make a mess of the economy, you have done that already, therefore its time for you and the Conservatives -
TO CLEAN UP YOUR MESS

Pip
Visiting in Europe at the moment, I am reading in British papers that the vuts to VAT (sales tax) made in Britain were inspired by Canada's GST cuts - how many months ago? - and that other European nations may well do the same.

Is Canada ahead of the game? If those cuts were as bad as the Liberals and NDP feel, why are socialist European countries following suit? I hope that the Liberals will take such information into condiseration in their meetings with Flaherty, and not insist on unrealistic spending plans that will plunge the country neck deep in debt.

Kitty
While it's healthy to fear a deficit, sometimes you have to spend money, in a big way, to maintain your "investment". For example, if you own a house and the roof is leaking, you'd be a fool not to spend the $10,000 to fix it even if you had to go into debt to do it. In our case, the house is the economy and not only is the roof leaking, it's about to crumble. A major stimulus package is urgently required.

Bev from NB
The Conservatives tried during Parilament last year to work with the opposition but they refused. That is why the PM called an election because after talking with each leader of the oppostion, they told him they would not work with him. Same thing happened again after this election, and now the Liberals are finally willing to sit down with the governement and bring forward some ideas for the economy. But of course the Liberals will brag that it was their heavy hand with the threat of the coalition that finally made the government willing to sit down with them. They sound like children who use bulling to get their own way when in truth they have been forced by the governement to stop playing games and get serious about the economy. I mean with the enticement of Senate seats gone there is nothing to hold the coalition together. Even Layton is saying that the budget might pass. Of course, it will otherwise they will be committing political suicide if they went through with the coalition.

Manly - Oshawa
I laugh at some posts on here because people across this country want the parties to work together and keep us out of the troubles the americans are facing. Herb and a few others are cheering on the Libs and slamming the Cons. I for one am commending both parties for at least sitting down to talk about the budget. This is certainly what we need is unity. I don't know what will come of this but at least this is a step in the right direction. I think whoever has formed government in this country should have a manditory sit down with each party and go over issues and ideas about Canada. This would make a better working parliment and a strong country. I know the die hards for each party would probably disagree, but I don't see the harm in playing nice. I think it is also fair to see the NDP side of the budget ideas and the Bloc. Inputs from all sides would hopefully make a more productive house and unity is what we need for the parties to work together. This is best for Canada so we won't end up as a joke on the Daily show again!!

Tom Hawley
To James:
It does appear the Conservatives are now acting like a minority .
If the Liberals present something which they feel is appropriate the Conservatives can appose or accept .It is that simple.Surely Mr.Harper would not accept a decision that is bad for Canada to just hold on to power.
Forgetting the coalition as it is surely Mr.Harper would not accept the Bloc's vote in the up coming budget if it was needed to stay in power.
Further more I was told as many were that Canada was in a good position to weather the financial storm.I wonder what happened ? The Liberals told us things are going to get worse.Mr.Harper accused them of fear mongering.The Liberals were right!
I believe Mr.Harper owes all the electorate an apology for misrepresenting our financial situation.Perhaps people would have done some things to protect their money.
As an economist, which during the election that card was played ,and more important as our PM he should have been aware.Economist or not.
Andrew:
When it comes to politics you must be wet behind the ears.
The $1.95 per vote was a smoke screen.Do you honestly believe that Mr.Harper wanted to throw his $1.95 per vote away? He knew that this would ruffle some feathers knowing his party would still be getting the roughly $10M.
He could have stated something like this in the throne speech.
Regarding the $1.95 per vote us Conservatives will not be accepting this payment.During this financial crisis I feel we need to do our part.With me saying that I urge all parties to consider doing the same.If you choose to receive payment it will be forth coming.
Now that would have made him look like he was trying to be creditable?

Joe Sanity
Re: Andrew

"lets see if the liberals still insist on their 1.95/vote, everone needs to help save their job, with tax payers money."

I guess you mean Let's see if the Conservative are stupid enough to try and antagonize the opposition majority again.

And for what? 30 Million? A drop in the bucket. They just wanted to allow their own party to start collecting big corporate donations again. The last things these dirty bozos want is a level playing field.

Larry NL
If the Liberals open their collective minds and put Canada ahead of their own power agenda, Then just maybe we will have a chance as a country.
After hearing Scott Brison speak, he leaves people with the impression that he is not going to waiver from what the NDP strings are controlling him to do.
I feel that Canada has a better chance with Iggy calling the shots for the Liberal party.

Jim in Ontario
It is time for Ignatieff to back off the insane coalition plan with separatists and socialists.

Ed in AZ
Brison is a bad choose as finanice critic. His remarks are always negative, caustic and spiteful. He is impossible to deal with. Will he ever become reasonable and sensible? There must be others in the liberal party who are much better to work with. As a turncoat the party promoted him as a reward. Good luck Mr Flaherty.

James in New Brunswick
The Government has asked the Opposition for specific recommendations. I doubt they will get them.

The Opposition doesn't have a plan and, if they form the next Government, will be running in circles for months. Or perhaps they will just start signing cheques and handing them out, so they can be seen to be doing something. "We tried but the world economy was just too weak. Its not our fault!" I can hear it now.

I hope the Government does solicit input from academia, business and the Provinces and find out what they NEED rather than what they WANT. Economic stimulus can take many different forms from a cheque in the mail to every household to corporate welfare to real investment in our future productivity. If the Government was smart, they would try to do a little of each, but focus on the investment side of things; preferrably tinted some shade of Green.

Goodluck, Mr. Flaherty!

Shirlee - SK
It would be nice if the opposition leaders co-operate and share their opinions with honesty and common good for us the tax payers. Other than our pensions taking a hit, things are kinda rosy right now. Gas prices are great, interest rates are good and as long as we can hold onto our jobs and ride out this winter, 2009 might be not all that bad. PLease no crazy spending!

J.C.
Finally we are getting some co-operation from the MP's instead of so much childish activities.
I do hope they can manage to work together without an election on the 27th. However they may all need to be flexible to look out for Canada's welfare and not their own partisan issues.

Cam in the West
I can almost see them having "constructive talks" since the other 2 "stooges of the coalition" won't be there. Either way..I trust the Liberals have thrown Dion's Greentax Plan into the recycle bin...I really don't see the Libs having too much to offer.
More than anything, this will be Iggy putting as much distance between him and the NDP/Sepratists...so he isn't a total bafoon!

J Ottawa
let's hope the new liberal leader respects democracy and works with the gov't to come up with good solutions to help canadians,instead of sucking up to Jack Layton and the BLOC

Reece
What I need to know is why the Conservatives are stealing not only speeches, but actual budget platforms from the liberals. This discussion Flaherty is proposing...is it to steal more ideas? I mean, would they like to join the liberal party of Canada?

Anyway, at the very least, not a day goes by without me laughing with these people in power.

Don from Winnipeg
It is heartening to see that the CONServatives appear to be making overtures.This is a good thing. My question would be related to their position during the election , and even after the election... If they had a plan,why did they NOT show it,or table it? They had almost 6 weeks after the election to consult(they did meet with the Premiers, that too was a good thing)
I would be concerned that this ism ostly for " show" , and an attempt to win favour ... then wham immediately after the confidence vote, they start back into the shenaigans all over. How does one regain the lost trust in Harper? To me the answer is relatively simple, ( and I know there will be howls from all the citizens of Harperstan out there ) HARPER must go. He , alone has poisoned the well of good , democratic governement ... With a new Conservative leader at the helm , then perhaps all the parties will get to work together again....Sorry Harperstanians , beyond partisanship, beyond co-operation,for the good of this country Harper must go

Trent
Well Herb if the Cons don't allow the Libreials some say in the budget we will be going to the polls again...No matter what they put forward idiots like layton and what was dion would have wined about it... But lets not forget they should be working toghter anyways for a stronger Canada

Dan@Kentville,N.S.
Funny, is it not, that Mr. Flaherty who was on the Mike Harris team that destroyed the economic engine of Ontario through outdated Conservetive polices, gets a chance to help ruin a whole country.

John Smith
LMAO - If the Conservatives don't talk to the Liberals and implement SOME of their plans, then they're not willing to work with the Opposition (reason to take down the Government). If the Conservatives do talk to the Liberals, then they're turning to the "Coalition" for help (reason to take down the Government, AKA "selling point"). Where do you people get off? If you're a Conservative, it seems you're doomed, either way.

G. Gravelle, Ottawa, Ontario
The government has no control over the economy anymore than we do. What can the Conservatives possibly do to boost the economy without going into a deficit??? Do the Liberals really think they can do something that would not result in a deficit? The price of gas is the only that's gone down in the last month or so. The price for food, etc. have not changed.

John in London
The liberals are a bunch of scoundrels. They have no business having any input on Canada's budget.

Laurie from Moose Jaw
This whole thing is just politics by the fiberals. iggy and his ilk really don't care about anything but themselves and will sacrifice anyone and anything to get power, including our country's future.

Peter in Ottawa
The Liberals will not bring anything specific to the table, they are only posturing.

Ron
While it is always a good idea to listen to varying views, Mr. Flaherty's job has been made a great deal easier by the actions of a bitter and power hungry opposition.

A month ago, he needed to draft a budget that would garner the support of the opposition - today, he needs to draft a budget most Canadians deem to be reasonable in the current economic conditions - a significantly reduced hurdle.

A month ago, the opposition was in a powerful position - they had the threat of banding together to defeat the government and the possibility of being asked to form their own coalition government.

Today, having made that grasp for power too early and losing the gamble, they are severely weakened - Canadians have spoken loud and clear, they don't want the coalition to gain power and there is considerable risk of triggering an election that all polling indicates would result in a Conservative majority. Dion's ambition to be PM and the Liberal greed for power led to their attempt to overthrow the government - they tried and failed horribly.

There is no danger to the Conservatives that that weapon can be used again - all news reports are showing Mr. Ignatieff backing away and more and more Liberals are marching down this particular hill - a budget Canadians consider reasonable is all that Mr. Flaherty needs produce and there will be no stomach on the opposition benches to vote it down. Thanks to the coalition, the government is stronger and the opposition weaker.

kwconscience
I am not too concerned with who is in power, as long as they have the best interests of Canadians and the nation forefront in their decisions.

There is a great opportunity for the parties to work together here. This is also a great opportunity for Canada to start, I repeat, START to address climate change, and the negative impact we are having on our nation, and world.

Environmental infrastructure projects, meaningful projects, will create jobs, create the ability for consumerism to continue as it was (if that is what we want). There are so many projects in renewable energies, in city and municipal planning and construction. Projects in alternative fuels, in public transit infrastructure, and the list goes on.

Do we really want the government to stimulate the economy through handouts to the auto sector, or would we rather have progress to show for their investment.

Jobs can be created in areas which will help this country lead the world into the future. All of us want Canada to lead the world. Right now, this is not the case.

Join in and call on the government to be responsible in their spending. Create jobs that will lead us into the future, not keep us stuck in teh past.

John E
Well this is a refreshing change in attitude. It's too bad it took an unprecedented hammer over Mr. Flaherty's head to get him to consult with anyone and to admit we are in an economic crisis. Hopefully this is the first step in making the Conservative party a rational identity.

However, I still believe that Flaherty is not and has never been up to the task of being Finance Minister and once the Liberals bail him out of this debacle, Mr. Harper should cut him loose. If Flaherty doesn't come through with a plan that meets the needs of the time we'll find out very soon that whichever party gains the confidence of the house they will only do so with the support of the Bloc. Therefore, the Bloc could hold the balance at the end of the day and I'm okay with that because they are duly elected and have the same rights as any MP or political party.

al from calgary
To Joe Sanity:
Please remember that 30 million is just a drop in the bucket when you whine about global warming as Canada's ghg are also just a drop in the bucket so we should do nothing about it.

To all The Liberal Posters:
No matter what the government does it is not good enough, if they don't listen the are arrogant and trying to rule as if they have a majority, if they do listen they can't govern because they have to go to the libs for advice, can't please you guys no matter what, you say the cons have no plan but yet we see nothing from the caolition but hot air, not a plan.

If they are going to vote non confidence just for power than lets go to the people because as Joe Sanity says 300 million will also be a drop in the bucket in a trillion dollar economy, and then this way people can see both plans and make up their own minds.

One last thing don't say that the conservatives are trying to rule like they have a majority, when the libs are trying to rule like they are the government, rather than the opposition.

Dan W Waterloo
Cliff
"A recession is natural as the economy goes through its cycles we all just need to stay calm and ride it out."

A man made recession due to corruption and greed is far from a natural cycle.

Giving bank billion so that they will lend money and all they do is stash the money is not responsible.

We were told Canada was insulated from the sub prime mortgages. Anyone read the real facts lately.

Most of today’s problems are based on right wing agendas without protections for the little people. Liberal and conservative policies. Wakeup people.

It is up the big mouth bully to put his money where his mouth is. We will see. He may think he doesn't have to as he still has blind followers.

Jack
I would *much* rather have the Tories at least listen to the Liberals and see if any of their ideas have merit than end up with a Coalition of Rats, or even another snap election. I can tell you I am so disgusted with the Liberals, I would definitely vote Tory this time, even though I didn't last time.

randy
please repair the income trust damage.

R/H Ontario
A few kind words for Mr Ignatieff, Please do yourself a favour, a BIG favour, and relegate Brison to the Back Benches. Preferable the ones Outside of the HOC. He will never agree to anything put forward by the Conservatives. Mr Ignatieff, have a Cabinet Shuffle, put someone with a brain in the Finance Critics position! And above all try to avoid an Election, you will lose badly. Also DO NOT go near the Coalition, that too would be a disaster for the Liberal Party.

Ron
Let's see if the Liberals actually ever come up with concrete ideas. After all, they have claimed they are in a better position to run things.. because they have a plan? What plan? no plan has been articulated by the coalition beyond a vague $30B stimulus package (which has been disputed by the coaltion days after it being 'floated' because it would defintely plunge the country into deficit). Please insert Dion's comments about never running a deficit here.

The Liberals want nothing more than have the Conservatives run a deficit because of the political gains they can make. At the same time, they don't want to be seen as promoting the deficit, but that won't be possible if they have a hand in the budget making process.

Ignatieff doesn't want the coalition, because he doesn't want the Liberals being welded more closely with the Left (and certainly not the Bloc!). He fears a devastating result in the polls if he proceeds.

He knows there is a very real chance that should the government be voted down in non-confidance, the Governor General may well call an election rather than allow the coalition to form government.

Since the Liberals are still paying for the last two elections, they aren't going to be able to mount much in the way of campaigning! They fear the Conservative election war chest.

So, it's my opinion that Ignatieff is going to find that the budget "is tolerable, but only because the money needs to be delivered quickly, and Canadians can't afford the delay to emplace a new government, coalition or otherwise".

The truth is, the Conservatives credit for successive years of debt financing, and tax reduction. Our economy is weathering the storm better than the rest of the G8.

Cambob
The election was called just before the markets crashed. There were signs, but very few of the economists forcast what was coming. Large corporations are cutting back, cancelling big projects.
The government (whatever party) must be able to adjust to the circumstances. Whatever may have been said (by any poilitician) in August 08 should be viewed with an objective eye after October 08.
My tax dollars are supposed to go to certain things; education, law enforcement, new roads, etc. In a time of crisis, I can accept a certain amount of deficit, so long as the tax dollars are being used effectively and responsibly.
Is it responsible to use tax dollars for a private business which produces products that few customers are buying?
Is it effective to use tax dollars for private business which has shown little management aptitude and perhaps even less employee concern?
I'd like to see 100 billion in infrastructure investment; new roads, new waterworks, new schools, etc.
I do not want to see xx billions going to incompetant private businesses inundated with unresponsive unions.
Of course, the government isn't listening to me, a tax paying Canadian. But, just who are they listening to?

John in Calgary
To Herb,

Did you skip a month? Have you paid attention to whats been happening in Ottawa?

The Cons did have a plan and anybody who has taken any type of economics or knows anything about how the economy works knows that it was the right plan.

Have you seen the movie WallE? The landscape of the city is going to be what needs to happen to keep the auto makers running, except the piles will be cars and trucks. The only stimulus package that is going to work is to buy all of the Dying 3's cars they produce, because nobody else is buying them.

But the Cons have to work with the Liberals to keep the government running. Back to the age old Liberal policies....which was, 'Do what ever the U.S.A is doing". We're always going to be in second if we Liberals steering the boat.

John E
The Conservative posters have already started their nasty campaign against Scott Brison. They say he knows nothing about finance. However, quite the contrary, Scott Brison obtained a Bachelor of Commerce from Dalhousie University. While there, he started and operated a successful business renting small fridges (he has jokingly referred to himself as a "fridge magnate".) Brison then worked in corporate sales for ten years.

He entered politics as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the Nova Scotia riding of Kings—Hants in the 1997 election. Brison was one of a handful of new PC "Young Turk" MPs (along with John Herron, André Bachand and Peter MacKay) who were considered the future youthful leadership material that would restore the ailing Tories to their glory days. However, with Mckay selling out the PCs by merging with the Canadian Alliance to form the new Conservative Party of Canada, Brison announced that he would cross the floor and sit as a Liberal MP. He stated that he had reservations about the perceived dominance of former members of the more socially conservative right-wing Canadian Alliance in the new party.

Scott Brison is a rational selection to deal with economic issues related to the planning of a new budget.

Don in Vancouver
Maybe we could take $54 Billion from the EI fund to help out the auto industry. Oh wait, the Liberals already spent that money!

NDG
I guest Flaherty wants to talk economy with the
Liberals, since they are the ones that left him whith a enormous surplus and a strong economy, that Harper and Bush manage to turn it in a recession.

Lorne
The economy is the issue. I don't care about the rest of the world economy. Let's do something about strengthening our own economy.
I also don't care which party is the government.
All the parties should get together and throw around some ideas and listen to those ideas.
Maybe, just maybe, we can come up with some great ideas and pull this country out of the doldrums.

Larry in Winnipeg
Seems like the biggest complaint I hear from people about government is that it is too partisan and positions are taken for party benefit rather than to benefit Canadians. So let's not complain when they do co-operate. We pay them to run the country - perhaps we should applaud when they actually put running the country first.

GP
I don't care who the Cons talk to...NO TAXPAYER BAILOUTS WITHOUT THE TAXPAYER GETTING SOMETHING FOR IT. Do you really think the Private sector would give the government money if the public was in trouble. And where exactly are those corporations that are still making huge profits doing, Oil, Insurance, Banks, Pharm…why are they not being asked to contribute to the common good.

This is such crap, every week the list of private companies that the taxpayer is asked to bailout grows. Now it the forestry and mining industries. Just what exactly is the taxpayer going to get for the privatization of profits. This is just unbelievable.

I don't care who talks to whom, just make it clear what the taxpayer is being asked to go into debt for and why is this our responsibility...this is just crazy.

Marcus in Ottawa
The Liberals want power, even if the only got 77 seats in the last election, they feel they are entitled to power. The coalition, or the threat of a coaltion is a way to get the power they crave. Some people from the socialist side of the equation like to point out that more than half of the vote was for their side. However, since the votes were divided between the Green party, the NDP, the Bloc and the Liberals, 4 different ways, does this entitle the NDP and the Liberals to take power from the Conservative party that garnered the most votes? Not in a true democracy it doesn't. The people of Canada would rather vote once more at a cost of $300 million than simply let the coalition take over and spend ten times more, an extra $30 billion in deficit financing, without their approval. If the coalition takes over, now that would be anti-democratic.

AdamJ, Ontario
I agree 100% with you John Smith.

You really have to love the spin doctoring here :)

The reality is that we are in a *global* financial crisis. Throwing money everywhere will not solve the problem.

It's quite simple. Most of our exports are going to the United States. They are not buying. Our manufacturers are screaming for bailouts so they can stay open and keep producing goods that nobody is buying.

Until things stabilize in the United States (or until we can diversify our exports), we are going to be feeling the pinch, and no amount of money from our Government is going to be able to fix that.

That's the bottom line.

DoasIsay
Lets hope its not back to

1984. Deficit 38.5 billion.

True Dough

Edward
This country is doomed for failure. With all the negative comments posted here, seems no-one wants to give things a chance. We are not the only country in the world having a problem. All people on this forum want to do is bash the government Just think a lot of it might have to be of your doing.

Dave Ont East
Do the Liberals/NDP/Bloc have a budget prepared? If they give a motion of non conf after hearing Conservative Budget, what do they have that would be better? I believe the coalition should work very hard to have an alternative budget. All they want is power but what do they have to offer to Canada in the form of a stimulus pkg? "We don't approve of your budget" will probably be the statement come Jan 26th., but what do they have as their own budget..ZILCH! and Canadians will have to qwait another 8 wks for a coalition budget!

The Conservatives have to keep their
or Canadians would realize there never was a "plan."

Flaherty is winging it: cave in to the opposition a little; try to have some goodies ready in case there is another election sooner rather than later.

Harper's gang are always playing politics.

Kim in Calgary
Mr Flaherty has no idea how this recession will impact Canadians and yet he is the Finance Minister. This recession was showing signs well over a year ago and now he is scratching his head because there is no consensus amongst the economists. Let the Cons continue to run Canada? Heaven help us!

Mary Clarke
Let's face it.
It doesn't matter what the current Govt. does,there will still be critisism.
If they help industries,thet're wasting money.
If they don't, they're not helping enough,and don't care about Canadians.
In the eyes of the opposition,and their supporters,only their chosen leaders would do the right thing.[even if it was the same thing].
Before even seeing a budget,they had made up their minds.

UNIONS SCARED TO LOOSE THEIR UNION DUES
Bailout poorly run companies. what a great plan !!! ADD more debt, add on interest. so whats the real cost to us the people? TAXES will have to increase to pay off this expenditure. We payed once to buy a car we shouldn't have to pay again for the same car. When a company fails there is always another to fill the void. so whats a bailout actually going to do besides making us pay more taxes, go in deficit, and let the Big Unions continue to cash strap the Big 3 and collect huge unions dues. probably with huge pay increases to these already high paying jobs when this mess is all sorted out and they will be in the same mess in the next down turn.

Flaherty could use the contingency fund
but the Conservatives blew the surplus that the Liberals had carefully as part of wise financial management.

Harper is too busy wasting federal resources sucking up to this corporate cronies.

Here comes the big deficit
Harper wants to use budget deficit as excuse to cut social spending.

But he always finds money for his corporate buddies.

M McEathron
Lets remember some key points about the liberal leader

Ignatieff has for the first part of his life lived in Britain and then spend several more year teaching ( you know what they say about teaching...... those who do ...do those who cant TEACH !) at harvard....then all of a sudden he comes back to Canada some place he has not even spent a better part of his life aand wants to be the PM...please .....and you know what he will do when he is done.... if elected go back to Harvard and TEACH !..and take his pension my hard and your hard earned money right back to the good old USA.....I am not saying harper is perfect but at least he has lived in Canada for the all his life !

Gail (Hamilton)
Some are saying the Conservatives don't have a plan. A Finance Department doesn't shut down. They keep working. Iggy said "He knows where to find me" which doesn't sound cooperative, but more arrogant. When companies/unions need bailouts, the left consider them "people" that must be helped. When they want to tax companies, they call them evil corporations. Since fiscal conservatives are up against spendthrifts, I'd like to know what the left consider is enough of our tax dollars before they bring down our government.

DGL
The Cons should listen to the socialists and then promptly do the opposite. All the Libs and NDP want to do is put us immediately into a $32 billion deficit. No thanks. We already know how to spend money we don't have. The opposition are morons.

Canuck in Bellingham WA
Didn't have a chance to read all the comments on here, but a couple of quick thoughts.

both the Cons and the Libs will be trying to put the best face on this that they can. They both want the best press for their party, and to make the other side look bad. Neither wants to be seen as the one who caused the government to fall at this time.

Adam J and John Smith have good comments. The best thing the gov.t can do is spend on infrastructure. This helps a significant portion of the economy and gives the taxpayer something for his $. We have an infrastructure deficit that needs to be maintained.

And as usual there are a lot of tiresome partisan comments on here. Are you morons under the impression that ignorant slanted remarks villifying your opponents steers a single vote your way?

It's Not Only Canada Folks
Take a Look Around
Cripes people this is a WORLD WIDE = The whole Planet and every country on earth's problem and NO ONE I repeat NO ONE can predict whats next.
For instance watch oil climb to $100+ per Barrel again and all Financial Institutions foreclose 90% of their mortgages can we see this coming..who knows , if anybody did this crises would be resolved.
It will take lots of meetings at a global scale and planning by all countries (UN Agenda Item?)to resolve these issues, A good start here at home (North America) it will have to be a joint Canada/United States issue to ateempt to resolve but that can't happen till the new President is in Office

R D
Scott Brison & John McCallum? Iggy couldn't have found 2 greater Harper/Flaherty haters in his whole party. Now, there's 2 guys I don't TRUST. I wouldn't put it past them that even if Flaherty includes their ideas in the budget, they'll find a TV camera and start screeming how the Conservatives still failed to honour their financial agreements and will vote against the government to bring it down. I remember well, how Brison would seek out TV cameras and brag, yes, brag about how wonderful Paul Martin was as a finance minister and as a PM. He never mentioned though, how Martin STOLE $50 billion from the EI fund and the workers & employers of Canada. Even the Supreme Court of Canada found the Liberals GUILTY .

Harper, do something or resign.
Get moving or get out of the way.

jim
The Libs left a massive surplus and built this country to be the strongest in the world. Thats what a surplus does makes a country strong running a deficet snowballs look at the US. The cons come in blow the surplus and don't want to stimulate the econonomy because they have no money. The economoy doesn't need to be stimulated the rest of the world is doing it but since Canada is an island which nothing will effect its okay. Give me a break Harper is a joke the only reason why people believe he is the best because of the cons PR its insane they have more money than all the other parties combined. Why because rich and corportations through money at him. I stimulate the economy by giving corporate tax cuts considering corporations that earn no profit pay 0 tax that helps struggling compaines a lot. Open your eyes....

Ronald in Toronto
A little input may go a long way. This will also give the Liberals an opportunity to pass the budget and then holler "See! That was our idea! We saved you all!"

Jack is spending too much time yelling into an empty rain barrel... because he likes the sound of his own voice with a touch of reverb. In that environment, everything sounds just spectacular.

Mary in Calgary
Good.

"Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has promised to bring down the minority Conservative government if the January 27th budget does not include ways to boost the economy."

When people realize that throwing billions out may 'help the economy' cash flow wise, but that it also puts Canadians more deeply into long term debt, then the two sides will be getting somewhere. Don't fault the Conservatives for the debt later if they throw out this cash like the Liberals appear to want. The Liberals will have to adopt a 'we're all in this together' stance if the Conservatives compromise in this way. This damned if you do, damned if you don't thing is getting old with voters.

Albert from Montreal
The stimulus package should be small but the Liberals won't look at it that way.

Most banks are predicting Canada in H2 2009 to be growing again, especially based on the new forecasting models from the Bank of Canada came out last week.

Liberals will want to ruin the fiscal integrity of Canada so they can blame it on the current government.

My vote is for cutting income taxes.

Edwin in toronto
He needs to discuss with leader of Liberal only since Liberal is the head of the coalition.
In future elections, we only need Tories or Liberal, since liberal can easily get support fro NDP & Bloc.
In Math terms:
Liberal=NDP=Bloc

GHW
This is a global recession and Canada is in the best shape (#1) in the world. Why are so many of you including this coalition trying your best to screw things up? Is the left so angry and spiteful of Harper that they would bring down the entire country?

My advice to the party faithful Liberals is to chill out. Let Harper reside over a down turning economy and bring down the government in one year. Bring them down now and you WILL regret it either way the GG calls it. A coalition will discredit and blacklist the Liberal Party for a decade. An election will result in another Conservative minority government.

Having said all this the actually strategy of the Liberal leadership through all this could be to simply pressure Harper out.

Dion needed to go, so does Harper. Harper is a great strategist but a poor leader. He’d make a good foreign affairs minister. He should resign after the budget. Let someone with some common sense street smarts take over.

LHB in Montreal
For the life of me I do not understand the choice of McCallum and Brison (whom we all know why he changed party and it had nothing to do we the economic platform of the conservative). Both of them are so constantly negative and partisan. I wonder if their choice is to make sure the consultation process does not work.
Hope I am proven wrong.

I suggest Mr. Goodable would have been a better choice he does project a certain degree of integrity.

Maybe the wage and price control advocated by Mr. Stanfield and fought against during an election by Mr. Trudeau years ago, only for Mr. Trudeau to implement it once in power might work.

If our economy is to contiue progressing in this global crisis, wage cuts will have to be seriously considered by all concerned. All bonuses for Corporation Heads should be abolish as a start as well as those to the public servants.

I for one would prefer a smaller pay check then none at all. Cuts no matter how small add up.

It is imperative that the negociations develop in could faith. Failing this we should have an election and let Canadians decide.

By the way it is refreshing to notice that the comments, although still partisan are less disagreeable.

John - a Progressive Conservative
time will tell....

If this "cooperation" results in a properly considered actual budget aimed at helping the country in these hard times rather than a hateful, low rent tantrum aimed at harming a few political enemies then it is a victory for us all.

This should be Harper and Flaherty's last chance even with their own party and they should be replaced if they fail again.

Sue
It will be interesting to see whether the Liberal recommendations are anywhere close to the "centre"; or if they will continue to leave that perspective / position to the Conservatives.

Arnie
It is increasingly clear why our politicians are filled with rhetoric and inflammatory bias. As you read the constant flow of comments you realize that canadians are filled with rhetoric and biases. Come on people. the government, yes the elected minority conservative party is having to adjust things as do all governments in the world challenged by this GLOBAL economic crisis. Let's hope wisdom prevails and we do not simply throw good money after bad...ie..tossing money to industry having difficulty without also having a plan. All parties need to work together if they say Canada is the most important issue here.

Bob
NDG said:
"I guest Flaherty wants to talk economy with the
Liberals, since they are the ones that left him whith a enormous surplus and a strong economy, that Harper and Bush manage to turn it in a recession."

Oh, do you mean that (Un)Employment Insurance fund we all paid into that they transferred out to show a surplus?

Out Yonder
I am really hoping that this signals, Iggy and the Libs separation from the NDP's Jack Layton. I am also hoping that this signals cooperation between the Conservatives and Liberals so we don't have to have another election.

david
I hope the communists NDP are not consulted, as they have already said they want to bring down the govrnment without seeing a budget.

Joe Sanity
Re: al from calgary


Get as mad as you want pal. Last time I checked an angry vote still only counts as one.

Harper has now shown his true colours to Quebecers and wont get one vote from them, which he needs for a majority. He has shot himself in the foot. It’s just a matter of time. The Republican dream is over for Harper and you NeoCons

Dayton
I would like to see a GST exemption on new vehicles purchased in Canada rather than an auto bailout as a start.

MRC in Hamilton
Canada should have nothing to do with bailing out American (another country's) corporations! We are at the mercy of the rise or fall of the Detroit-3 and the greed of the UAW/CAW, there is nothing we can do.

If we don't want to worry about the stability of our automotive sector & be self-sustainable, how about we actually engineer our own cars? Wow, engineer & purchase our own cars here in Canada, what a novel idea!! ...

Ivan
The posts against Scott Brison are very funny. When he ran for the Conservative leadership, the Reform Party said of the candidates - his were the only economic policies they could support.

Steve the Pundit
The types of "stimulus" that the economy needs (and the Conservatives will likely suggest) will be strenuously opposed by the opposition, namely:
- temporary reduction in GST/HST to boost consumer spending.
- additional incentive for auto purchase (especially fuel-efficient / hybrid vehicles), be it additional sales tax credit or some sort of eco-rebate.
- limited support of Canadian auto sector (in the form of repayable lines of credit, not forking over $$$), in exchange for job guarantees and further investment in fuel efficient production (not trucks)
- lots of money has already been allocated for infrastructure; just need a faster way to get it in the hands of municipalities so they can get busy. The kicker is subway and similar transit projects will take too long in environmental assessments and the like in order to "stimulate" the economy. Pothole fixing, bridge and watermain repair, border crossings, etc. could all be started ASAP and should be primary focus.
- no "stimulus cheques"; US experience suggests people will pay debts or save money, neither of which help the economy in the short term.
- thorough program review of all elements of government spending, and reducing as appropriate. Yes, this should include the $1.95 voter subsidy, but should also include reduction in cabinet, pay freeze on MP salaries, 10% minimum reduction in parliamentary office expense / budgets, etc.

This is the type of budget that Canadians need, and all opposition parties should support. But given recent events, I don't hold a lot of hope.

Maroam Atlomspm
It is said that a leopard can't change its spots. Since when has Harper shown he is capable of cooperating with anyone. What makes some of the commenters here think he is now going to any different? He's going through the motions for optics; playing his games again, sucking in people, and then he'll proceed as usual, ignoring everyone but himself. Wise up people!

slim in alberta
I think in these times ALL PARTIES need to pull together for the sake of the country. Some of these comments show you are out looking for points for your own party. SHAME on you all.....

Kevin in T.O.
Flaherty has been putting together policy for the past year to deal with the looming recession. His head was not in the sand although the Libs and NDP would like you to believe that. Corporate tax cuts to help businesses save money for reinvestment in capital and labour. GST reduction to boost consumer spending. Massive infrastructure investment. Paying down our debt. BDC has been given a new mandate and are aggressively marketing their services to help businesses with capital needs. These are solid fundamental policy initiatives. And our economy still is technically not in recession and it is almost sure to not be as bad as what the US and Europe will be facing.
Don't believe the hype.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth

There is a "big issue" of trust here with Harper. I do n't think he gets it. HEre the Cons have just gone through a near death experience and Harper has the audacity to put a bunch of his cronies into the Senate when one of his campaign promises was to have elect senators.

I love the cartoon in the Vancouver sun here - it shows Harper stuffing a big turkey full of senators from the Conservative Party. What a joke!

Darren
Its rhetoric like that posted by NDG which guarentees that we will never be governed by the NDP or a coalition which has NDP members. The recession was caused in the US because of many causes. Harper and any decisions he made played no part it in. Remember that when you hear stories of massive home foreclosers and massive job losses in all sectors in the US. Here in Canada we're relatively better off.

Red Deer Joe
If CTV could post comments from someone else besides the Republican war room we could actually have intelligent discussion here! Canadians voted for Liberal MPs as well and they have a say as to what should be in this stimulus pkg. so that something positive is presented to Canadians in January as opposed to the farce that the gov't presented in Oct. This is a MINORITY gov't and it's time Harpo realize he must SHARE the sandbox.

Wes
I wonder if the liberals bring down the government, would that mean an end to any bailout package for the big 3?

PatrickT
Are the CONS so bereft of ideas two months into their new mandate that need to go to the oppositions bench for input.

It's the government's job to govern and the Opposition's job to oppose..when necessary. If Harper and Flaherty don't know what to do, they can move aside and let the pros have a chance at bat.

Sean
It still amazes me that we would even think about bailing out the Big Three, let alone anyone involved in the banking sector!
At last check we could buy the entire General Motors Corporation based on its stock value for less money than it would take to "Bail them out". Does that seem too socialist for some of you? Oh, wait, I forgot...Private industry can do a better job! Hogwash!
If were going to throw that much money at the Auto Industry, lets buy Ford and Gm outright and install Toyota or Honda execs to run the show. They seem to be able to manage and know what the consumer wants!

KMC (Markham ,ON)
John E

In your glowing bio of Scott Brison, you conveniently forgot to mention that he ran for leadership of the Conservative Party and it was only after he was soundly repudiated that he crossed the floor, like a cry baby, to join the Liberals.

It would appear, then, that Brison was not so concerned about the Conservative Party's connection with the former Alliance, that this "concern" prevented him from running, unsuccessfully, for the leadership of the Conservative Party.

Paul in Brantford
Don`t let the 3 stooges run CANADA .

Call an election!!!

Jean - On
How about proroguing the 'Coalition' until hell freezes over?

Nick in Gatineau
The three biggest economic miscues committed by the Conservatives since they took over from the Martin government are:

1. Lowering the GST. Most businesses absorbed it and never passed on the reduction to consumers. It also lowered revenue streams for government coffers.

2. Spending the surpluses foolishly. On everything without asking the Provinces, or Canadians for their permission.

3. Taxing Income Trusts. Within 6 months, liquidity for the Financial Institutions began to dry up. Certainly not THE culprit but most certainly a major contributor to the crisis here domestically.

The biggest non-action to date:

1. Doing nothing to restrain Shorting for traders.

2. Not changing Insider Trading laws to apply Jail terms for 1st offences.

3. Not establihsing a National Credit watchdog to stop salesmen to take advantage of consumers.

4. Not stopping the banks from charging excessive credit card and banking fees.

Alex (Toronto)
For the past three years, Canada's government has been tearing down the manufacturing sector and putting all our eggs in the commodities basket. Those eggs are smashed now. The problem is clear: this is a financial crisis. If people and businesses can't borrow money, they can't buy things they need, and the economy suffers. The banks need to be forced to lend money using standard lending criteria. No throwing money at subprime borrowers, and no strangling of lending to boost banker's balance sheets. Let the banks worry about their balance sheets; government support should pass through banks to their customers, so that the economy starts functioning normally again. When that happens, the banks, the manufacturers, and everyone else will be able to do business as usual.

The crisis was caused by a lack of government regulation, and that lack of regulation is continuing. The banks took the money they were given and they are just pocketing the money. Right-wing laissez-faire policies have caused a huge market failure, and continuing those non-policies will not solve the problem. Any bank that fails to lend dollar-for-dollar what they have been loaned should have government support pulled back. It's not complicated.

Tax cuts helped cause this problem and are not the solution. We need overall economic growth, not just transfers of wealth to the rich. We had growth under the Liberal government (and under the Democrats in the US), and we need to get back to policies that worked. Tories will natter on about a few million here and there and ignore the tens of billions that vanish with their anti-middle-class policies. They shouldn't be trying to call an election every time they don't like what the majority of the elected representatives of the people tell them.

Raj
It's all good.I don't think layton would approve of anything.He is ticked that the three wise men are not going ahead. But it's good to see the main parties going ahead. This is what we asked for.

Dayton
Provincial sales tax on new vehicles would boost auto sales (especially Ontario) don't you think?

Brian from Western Canada
Harper should only provide a modest stimulus package. It is essential to wait and see what the US does first. We are not in the same fiscal mess they are, but we should be prepared for the ramifications of our largest trading partner's slowdown. If commodities stay low, we will be hurt. Reckless spending will not help (see US bailout). Hopefully, Iggy goes with the coalition, overthrows the government voted for by the people, and Western Separation gets the kickstart it needs. The subsequent massive spending and huge deficits, with inneffectual results can then be blamed on the socialists. Anyone who is willing to work with separatists does not belong to the country in which I wish to live. Show us some guts, Iggy!

Robert Ranson
Bobby: Please don't forget the Old Age Security and the Homeless. There was talk of $140.00 increase per month. Also low cost housing. This would bring a boom to the economy if people had money to spend.

CM from Edmonton
This is definately a good news story and all Canadians should be pleased with this type of exchange. Finally the Liberals are saying that they need to see the financial data to provide constructive input, a far cry from the Dion era bashing of the sky is falling stimulus now or else.

Of course we will see those who hate Conservatives spewing hate, but I for one as a Conservative party member and financial contributor to the party itself am very happy to see Canada's 2 leading parties talking constructively.

A glimer of hope that our government can function now with Mr. Dion out of the way and Harper comming to his senses regarding the economic statement.

pasha
Question, Optics or co-operation. Flaherty doesn't know the meaning of co-operation. He will say anything he needs to right now and will do whatever he wants the moment your back is turned. I did not like him or trust him in the Harris government and I like him/trust him less now when he has Harper as a mentor - or is it the other way around. I really don't know who is calling the shots here but I don't like either one of them and I trust them even less.

Samantha Lufrether
The Conservatives promised that they had the economy in mind during the election.

And with their first budget it was apparent that they had lied. Can we really trust the Conservatives with our issues at heart anymore? Even that silly Dion had a plan!

JRH from LA
It's interesting to watch all of this unfold. Now that the Liberals have a charismatic, well-spoken leader, their interest in joining a coalition is much less; which it should be. If the Liberals can regain a bunch of support, why should they let two parties that don't have a chance on their own piggyback into power? They shouldn't. As far as the meeting today over the budget, I think the Liberals want the budget to pass so they won't have to do the coalition thing. If I were them, I would let the Conservatives stay in power for now, and rebuild support until the next election years down the road.

Sharon, 5th generation Canadian
I thought Harper & his neo-cons had a plan? Ooops, guess that wasn't true either.

Another Ron from Calgary
Wouldn’t it be a good idea if all the Liberal commentators were to phone or email their MPs and request, no, insist, that their spokespeople, (I can’t call them leaders) publish their plans to help Canada survive the global economic crisis now.
I mean concrete proposals, not blue sky wishes.

If Flaherty brings forth a budget that includes these Liberal ideas, that would be a plus for the Liberal Party and for Canada.

The reality is that the Liberals have no real plan. They will wait for the budget to be released, they will then claim that the good part came from their ideas and the bad part came from the Cons.

Nick in Gatineau
The conservatives never cooperated with the opposition when the opposition did not threaten to overthrow them by legally creating a coalition.

The moment they did, the conservatives then began to accuse the opposition of not cooperating. They began to insult at every step. Plainly put the Conservatives know they can lose power if they don't start acting professionally.

Now we have the Conservatives asking for their opinion ?

The question regarding our entire political theatre at the moment is whether or not the conservatives will actually listen to all leftists and centrists of our nation ? You know, those who have been trying to have open dialog for the last 3 years ?

I'll give 'em the benefit of the doubt for now, but come January, that budget better blow me away.

Will Flaherty meet with the NDP and the Bloc ?

The Bloc represents close to 15% of the seats in the House of commons.

Hmmm. Insult every quebeccer one week and then ask for their input the next ?

Mary
Does this mean the temper tantrums are over, and the time-out has worked? Seriously, though; I'd like to see a GENUINE effort to work together on this budget. It's too important.

Niagara George
Isn't it interesting how the threat of defeat, brought the Cons into a more conciliatory mood?!

Without the 'coalition' looking over his shoulder, Harper would have never agreed to a meeting where there was an actual sharing of ideas.

Again, he has gone against the very core of his 'beliefs.' The man is deperate to hang on the power.

Hopefully, he has had enough of a scare so we will have a government that remains focussed on the sharing of power, which is necessary in a minority parliament.

Ki-Som Victoria BC
Sorry, Jack, but your dreams of forming a government is gone. Which makes me VERY happy. It looks like the Liberals are not going to defeat to government, not yet anyway, and they will do it on their OWN terms. I am so happy that Dion is gone, now the Liberals can become a strong force against the bullies, Tories.

New Brunswicker
Its a sad day for Canada if the Conservatives give up their fiscal values for that of a bunch of socialists.

When the Conservatives present a budget the opposition socialists would support then we have a socialist budget and Conservative values go out the window.

I hope and pray the Conservatives will notsell their soul to the devil to stay in power.

An election should be immenent if the liberls reject the budget.

JB Belleville
Loans for the auto industry, better make sure there are stingent conditions or money will be wasted.
Really until consumers want to buy these products or can afford to buy these products it is not going to fix the situation very fast. The question becomes can the American Big 3 hang on.

Our crumbling infrastructure seems to need help more.

Also our health care needs a life line.

Tommies
I would like an opinion re: how Iggy and the other 2 in the coalition are going to deal with one another. Something in me tells me that when Iggy starts to rise in Quebec at the expense of the Bloq and parts of Ontario at the expense of Layton-those 2 are going to be all over him reminding him of his signature on that accord. Any thoughts?

Mike in NB
To Elisabeth;

How many liberal appointed senators are currently already STUFFED into the senate? Are you saying that only politicians from one party should be in the senate?

Susanne Noordyk
sounds good but I don't trust the Conservatives and especially Flaherty ... remember what he did to Ontario under Mike Harris! Also the Conservatives have this record of saying one thing and doing quite another ... besides I don't think they 'get it' yet!

Leasa
Two weeks ago we were the envy of the G-7. Most stable economy and banking system in this global problem. Today, after the coalition's coup attempt they are now laughing at us. The Liberals have not offered one public solution to any of this, yet they do the most demanding and screaming. For what? Harper has been slowly and without panic, working on this for a year now and that is why we remained so stable.

Iggy is a republican-Thatcher throwback that's all huff and puff, but obviously no substance.

I wish they would have left well enough alone and let the government continue to steer us through all this.

Edmonton John
There are still far too many people suggesting that the Liberals hate or won't work with Harper, and otherwise bemoaning the fact that the parties won't work together and saying it is the fault of the Liberals.

This is sheer poppycock! When a victim retaliates against a bully that has been antagonizing them for too darn long it is easy to just say they are both dysfunctional and have done with it.

Quit taking the easy way out. Harper was at fault. The retaliation was justified and appropriate.

Quit blaming the Liberals, and quit blaming the Coalition. Put the responsibility where it darn well belongs, and that it squarely on Harper's shoulders.

Larry
Once again the Fiberals are jumping in to take credit for some else's hard work. These so-called consultations are their way of jumping ahead of the queue and proclaiming that it was they who moved Canada along , not the Conservatives. The fact that the fiscal management of the Tories over the past few years positioned Canada so that drastic stimulus measures were not needed is completely ignored by the hopeless media that would rather print the sky-is-falling fantasies than the truth. Compare the growth rate, the state of our banks, inflation, etc. to the rest of the world. Strong fiscal management, not crisis, look at us saving all of you management, is what is required. We got rid of one looney professor with his wacko ideas....now we have to do the same with another.

patricia
Harper & Flaherty want details for the budget from Liberals, and then they will blame the Liberals if Canadians don't like the budget .... there is no win for the Liberals with this budget, Harper will blame them for a deficit, and everything he can .... Harper is not capable of coming up with his own details for a stimulus budget, Harper does not understand how to do it, so he is now asking the Liberals, but you can be very certain that Harper will blame the Liberals later, and if the Liberals (Coalition) vote down the budget, then Harper will also blame the Liberals because he will say he gave them what they wanted and they still voted it down. The Liberals cannot win no matter what, as Harper is still playing political games and really not interested in what is best for Canadians & the Country. Harper will never stop playing his idealistic games ....

Alma
if people would quit buying Toyota's Honda's and Mercedes and start buying north american cars. there wouldn't be this mess today. the foreign cars are cheap to buy but too exepensive to fix.

Betty
Flaherty should be careful as to what advice he takes when meeting with the Liberals...Most of them detest the Conservatives and want the power that they feel is theirs...
as for the GST I remember when the Liberals based their election campaign on how bad it was and how they would get rid of it....They didn't and now they get upset when it is cut by 2%...

Mike in NB
To Nick in Gatineau;

Are these things only now, in the long history of Canada, able to be dealt with? Or are you saying that the liberals should have also taken action when they had the chance? I assume you were disgusted with the liberals when they ran on a platform promising to get rid of the tax altogether? The HST is a killer and adds to the cost of everything from house construction (renovations) to hospital supplies and professional services. Besides, the "revenue stream" goes from my wallet to the government coffers. How much of it do you think I should give away to people (political ideologues of every stripe)I do not like OR trust? Just wondering...

ron of ontario
That's the way to go, Liberals, NDPs and Conservatives. The stupid rhetorics uttered by the opposition do not speak well of its leaders. They should know better than utter insane threats like hooligans. Mainstreet Canadians and Seniors are struggling to make ends meet daily and here you are, letting bullets fly on Parliament Hill. We trust the recent sobering of sanity will sustain and get the country moving again. It's time for every citizen and politician in all sectors of our economy and on Parliament Hill to be willing to make some sacrifices for the common good of all Canadians. Parliament Hill should lead by examples and in understanding be men. No sector of the economy should benefit at the expense of other sectors. There should always be a balance. "We rise together and fall together" says Obama. This should be the guiding principle for Parliament Hill. Self-aggrandizement, self-interest and self-seeking gluttons of any sort should hold not be allowed to prevail. Canadians' patience and tolerance is running thin by the hour, minute and second. Had our immature parliamentarians put their childishness and stupidity away, we could have got most, if not, some of our economic and financial woes straightened out by now. PLEASE DO NOT GO BACK TO YOUR OWN VOMIT EVER AGAIN. GET THE COUNTRY MOVING AGAIN AT ALL COST. THANKS from a struggling Senior.

Dwayne, Calgary
"Stimulus" seems to be the big word these days. Everyone is crying for stimulus for the economy as though the government has some magic solution.
What stimulus really means is taxpayers dollars being spent on various sectors of the economy very likely resulting in huge gov. deficits that you and I and possibly our children will have to pay back.
There is no free ride.

Kathleen Bakken
The Leftist,Socialists,Jack Layton and et als,there is everything inherently untrustworthy about socialists,Liberals included.The socialists multi-millionares,example Jack Layton,for one among many has a personal private income of over 3 million dollars yearly.If he is so concerned about the workers why doesn't he distribute his wealth among them? Big unions,homeless[he could build them homes and shelters and provide them with his own income,or better yet why doesn't he take them to his own home?Thtow in a few criminals too as he protects them more than the victims[by law} passed by the Liberals and N.D.P. era.Socialists want to redistribute wealth alright as long as it is not their own.Why doesn't Jack Layton lead by example and practise what he preaches? Socialism is a religon.

Doug in Dartmouth
The "impact" of the recession has not hit Canada yet. We should not be commiting billions, until it is necessary. If we spend to early, than down the road when stimulus is really required, the government will not have the money to do what it should.
Recessions, exchange rates, interest rates are market driven and cyclical. Governments cannot change that. What government can do is cushion the impact in areas that are hit too hard.

Michael Fox
Comments from people like "Herb" are unproductive and do not help either party.

The Conservatives are asking the Liberals for input because the Liberals asked to have input. It's called working together.

People like Herb will attack the Conservatives no matter what they do.

Truly Canadian
re:
Peter Rapsey
Just the fact that the Tories are talking seems to me a selling point for the Coalition being there. Maybe Mr. Harper is starting to get the message that competence in governing while in a minority starts with working WITH the other parties...not partisan politics.

So let me get this straight - the Conservatives have to work with the other parties - while "they" keep talking about the coalition (partisan politics - the coalition faction) and brining down the government??? Talk about bully tactics!
If the Liberals were truly looking after Canadian interests (and not their own partisan politics) would they start off every media discussion threating the government? Thats working with them - right?
The Conservatives have a tight, focused plan and the only thing the left want is spend spend spend - so to keep the government functioning the Conservatives are going to spend, because keeping a solid government is much more stable than playing partisan politics...

Edwin from Toronto
We should subsidize Toyota to buy GM, Honda to buy Ford and Nissan to buy Chrystler.
Union problem solved. They automatically equalize pay with Japanese automakers.
All existing big 3 management are fired.

Cory
Scott Brison isn't happy unless he is complaining about something. He needs to calm down and actually do some work. I am tired of all the grandstanding, I swear the Libs would be happy if the sky was actually falling.

Peter Rapsey
Those that are concerned about Brison and McAllum asking for believable numbers need only remind themselves that the Liberals need take no financial lessons from the Conservatives. It was the Liberals that saved the financial hide of Canada after the Mulroney years, and it was the Conservatives that brought us close to deficit without the world economic woes. As in the U.S., the conservative financial management of the economy gets the country in a mess. Get rid of the "me firsters".

Honest John
Isn't that an oxymoron? Brison the Liberal demands "honest" fiscal numbers? A Liberal, wants "honest"? I hope Finance Minister Jim Flaherty gives it to Brison. Something like, "Brison, you couldn't handle the truth"

Gregory D
They are talking but it doesn't matter as the opposition parties will cut down what ever the cons do. That is the way our system works in parliament. Always attack and never say your opponents do anything good. Isn't that why we are where we are today with Parliament on break? Until we change the system it will always be the same. when have you ever heard the opposition say the government's Ideas were good. I would like to see a triple E senate so it limits power and forces all to cooperate to get things done, or if that is not possible, then we need a larger contingent of independents that would only have their constituents and the country to answer too. Party affiliations get in the way of constituent representation.

Doug
Cory, it is interesting you are complaining about people complaining.

It sounds like this was a good first meeting. Maybe the crisis the Tories created will bring about positive results for the entire country.

gerald allard
to start with,we must all understand that we are in a recession,that we like it or not,that we like harper or opposition parties,that we are blu or red or green,the parties must work together to get people working again,we must put our differences aside including mr harper,is easy to comment on personalities or parties,this is no time for clowning,decisions must be made,that we like it or not,we voted parties in place to represent us,so,why should we have to express our opinion again,all parties were elected to represent different groups,why the beef,let the parties decide,if not,get them out..

nc
I agree with an economic stimulus, but I don't agree with bailing out the auto, lumber and mining ind. and perhaps the oil ind.

John E
To: KMC (Markham ,ON)

The point I was trying to make was that contrary to the Conservative spin, Scott Brison is a rational choice to talk economic turkey. Also I must correct you, Scott Brison never ever ran for the leadership of the Conservative party. In 2003, he ran for the leadership of the "Progreesive Conservative" Party. At the leadership convention, his campaign was dealt a crucial blow by John Herron who defected to the MacKay camp. Despite gaining votes on a second ballot, Brison was eliminated by a "mere three votes" and threw his support to Jim Prentice. Prentice lost on the final ballot to MacKay (who won with the support of David Orchard.

Later David Orchard unsuccessfully attempted to prevent the merger with the Alliance. In a high-profile news conference in early November he suggested that the new Conservative Party of Canada was "an abomination, sired in betrayal and born out of deception." He urged PC Party members to vote "no" on any referendum and also encouraged "loyal members" to express their frustrations with Peter MacKay.
It was three days after the PC merged with the Alliance/Reform Party that Scott Brison Crossed the floor to the Liberals.

Lillian
Who do Scott Brison and John McCallum think they are? The voters clearly said that they didn't want their party to govern this country. I am sick and tired of the media giving them air time to try to tell Harper and Flaherty what to do. We all know what the liberals did when in government-- broken promises, Adscam, etc. I want the party elected in October to govern this country and for these power hungry Liberals to just go away!!!!!

david
Translation is that Brison and McCallum have no new ideas, and will only criticize on the new budget.
I sure as heck would not want Brison running my company

Steve H.
That's all this country doesn't need are more left wing, hairbrain ideas from Brison. McCallum is bad enough. Lets have an election, give the Tories a majority and put to rest these left wingers once and fore all............

Choele
Brison is talking out of both sides of his mouth. He says there is an openness with Flaherty & at the same time says that the figures are not honest. The Conservatives are being cooperative & it looks like liberals are going to play games until budget day in Jan09. Then the power hungry entitled opposition will make their move & vote down our elected gov't. Canadian voters will want another election & then we will speak - very loudly & very clearly.

Oil Country
finally some comments worth applauding!!!

Steve the Pundit!!!
common sense goes along way

edd-medhat
Please don't let the Liberals dictate anything with regard to money. They don't have a clue, never had, never will.

It's Harper and Flaherty's responsibility to provide a balanced, well thought out budget, not some Neanderthal version of a stressed out spending spree compliments of the Liberals.

Paul Chilliwack
Imagine that A LIBERAL demanding honesty.

HMmm, they must be running with their tails you know where.

Liberals deceit, that is all it is.

Paul Chilliwack

Mel from Calgary
It doesn't do any good for Flaherty to talk to anyone, Stephen Harper makes the decisions.

Harper doesn't consult his own caucus; why would he talk to the opposition?

Ron from Calgary
I am a bit surprised that that economic update was calculated based on 'soft' data, such as the sale of assets that may or may not happen. Could it be that they wanted to give the appearance of solvency before the big storm hits so that the government could not be blamed for poor management?

As I read the reader comments, I am also surprised by the venomous tone toward opposition parties. Could it be that Canada has officially sunk to a state of greater ignorance and partisanship that the US?

BIG-JIM
Oh now we are in trouble. The Liberals can't balance squat and they want figures from the Tories. Liberals have never been honest with Canadians and they tell the Tories they must be! That's a laugh!
I think it is time to rid ourselves of our OLD ENGLISH Political system and update to be more similar with the states where you vote for your leader not an MP and of course less political parties and it just seems to confuse all the issues for voters

Mary in Calgary
Ron - Astute and objective analysis contained in your comments. :)

Larry
Brison loves to demand this and that ..and likes to grandstand..will he and his crew be honest or use the info they receive to disceive the Conservatives instead of maintaining good Govt in Canada by supporting the budget..they are in such dire straights they may make a stupid move and defeat the govt..hoping to capitalize..even though they are broke and still debating a leadership issue ,that to some people is not decided ...The NDP will go along with anything ...because they will never form govt ina traditional way...

DGRose
In other words: Brison is demanding Flaherty return to him with a Liberal budget that they can rubber stamp. Here's hoping Flaherty and the CPC stay the course and don't fall for the notion of "tax and spend" in a global recession.

pj
Funny - I trust Harper & Flaherty. Amazing - the pot calling the kettle black - I wouldn't expect to get "honest, up-to-date, accurate and reliable" numbers from anyone from the Liberal camp - they are far to used to fleecing us sheep - promises never kept, money stolen from us etc etc.

Well - while they're playing the power game and trying to trump the other while preparing this budget - who knows maybe we the taxpayers will win in this one - still waiting for the refund cheque from the Liberals for their theft of my UI - oh & still waiting for someone to be punished from the ad scandal - but I guess I'll be old & grey and able to tell the story to my grandkids!!

MJRM
This is typical of the Liberals. As of last week we now have proof of what we have known all along. That the Liberals under Chretien and Martin only managed to create their much touted surpluses by illegally overtaxing us on EI payments and then using the money for other programs. Talk about cooking the books!

BlueMonday
Scot Brison another wannabee even postures like Jack Layton. He "demands" say the headlines - Cannot the Liberals ever do anything positive without posturing and reporting all their so called strong words to the media on exiting a meeting. This is the type of crap that starts everyone bristling and puffing themselves up like buffoons -perhaps their new "boss" can instill a bit of decorum - though with this group of Liberals I won't hold my breath. Please - some positive thinking from these people - just once.

Brent - Penticton, BC
Where is the spirit of co-operation to work with the Government when Brison demands a complete disclosure of financial information to ensure the Government's figures can be counted on. Sounds to me like Brison (Liberals) think that Mr. Flaherty is lying and this is not a basis to instill co-operation. Why don't the Liberals just come up with a list of budget items that must be included, items that would be nice, and rose coloured glass type items. Brison and McCallum have been invited to participate in the budget process, not re-write it. If they want to re-write the budget, then get elected as the Government, until then, it is time to quit this partisan crap and get along like nice little children.

Do what you were elected to do, and that is to do the best for Canada, not Party Politics or separatist coalitions.

bob-sydney n.s.
same old opposition game, promises, promises, promises, then they have to check the #'s and get out of them with the "gov't is bankrupt" story so they don;t have to follow through on them.

Joyce.
To Elizabeth;
As suggested by your comments, that Harper wants to stuff the senate with Coservatives. Please note, that Harper wants to bringthe Senate to full capacity so the Senate is be able to work with a full quota in Committees. This is also with the condition that they will step down and run for the Elected Senate when this comes about, when this happens before their retirement age. Harper said this in prior media articles, and that is a big difference from the rest of the Senators, who are there until they reach 75 yrs of age, and then have to resign their term as a Senator.
That to me is a good move.

Dan
I can see right through the Liberals on this. They don't have the best interest of Canadians on their minds all they are thinking about is power.

If at the time that the conservatives release the budget if the Liberals don't like it then vote it down. Stop using the media to get free air time.

Gregg in Edmonton
Maybe Flaherty should strike a deal that he'll give the numbers Brison wants if his Liberal party can supply the Conservatives with the whereabouts of the missing $41.3 million that was lost/stolen during Adscam.

Robert from Steeltown
Brison is not to be believed, just like the rest of the Libs.
You don't demand anything when you are trying to cooperatively develop plans for the economy. He should be throwing his ideas onto the table for discussion. That is if he and his fellow Libs have any semblance of a plan in mind. What a bunch of phonies. Everyone knows they only want power at any cost without paying their personal dues.

Mike From Calgary
Joe Sanity:

The conservatives were villified for trying to end the 1.95/ vote scheme that many said was just party politics. However, Chretien created this in order to handcuff the other parties. but we dare not accuse the liberals of anything because they are innocent of every thing, and only have the best interests of the country. Still convinced this whole coalition was about power and nothing more. If it was about Canada poor Mr Dion would still be hanging around wouldn't he.

Dave in Toronto
What happened to Harper's 6 point plan? In the garbage or just a sound bite? Remeber Flaherty is good at hidden deficits, just what we did to Ontario! The Conservatives need to co-operate, and do what it right for Canadians!
Harper the time is now!

Michael Alexander
Mr. Herb,

They are asking for the Liberal input is because the Liberal is threatening to topple the demcratic elected government via a backdoor deal with the NDP (for me the NDP is a communist party). This is a gesture of goodwill since we need compromise and not confrontation and threat to govern to great country of ours.

Ken P.
Times have changed and even when the Liberals get back in power they will have to learn to manage with lower and fairer tax revenues. Unless of course they plan on raising taxes ?...

James Colynuck
The Harper government has been keeping Canada out of the world wide recession so far. The Libs just complain that the Grits are in power the NDP cuddle up to who is ever second best. The NDP have never been in power and probably never will. Ah Politics

Glen from Ottawa
The Liberals are looking for a way out of any Tory plan so that they can keep the coalition alive. Probably also getting heat from Iggy's recent comments and their left wingers (Brison)who alligned with the NDP. How can their economists, possibly have better numbers than the finance department. The GG doesn't have to accept their coalition because its based on a BQ veto issue. Its looking like another election is not far off folks!

Dave in Toronto
I personally do not support a bail-out for a Chrysler that is privately owned by a hedge fund! GM need to cut most of it's divisions as they make the same car with different badges. They should keep Chevy, Cadilac and GMC (Heavy Truck) the rest should be sold off or closed. They to much of the same product!

Jay-T
The liberals have a good point there. The same buffoons currently managing our economy were the same buffoons under Mike Harris that hid a 6 billion dollar deficit here in Ontario.

I hope this comment goes through. Seems you have to attack liberals at ctv to get your comment posted.

RCR in Ontario
Just imagine, a Liberal asking for Honesty when it comes to dealing with taxpayers money..
Who would have thought that?

Gary NJ
If I was Harper I wouldn't be letting Brison get away with suggesting publically that they the Liberals haven't gotten anything but honest fiscal numbers to date.

T.D.
It's nice to see the liberals have finally regained their sanity and realized that the prudent leadership the Conservatives have been offering is in the best interest of Canada. The coalition quest for power and greed would have put Canada in a financial turmoil for years. We have to manage our resources carefully in this time of world crisis.

Matthew Duncan
It amazes me how short people's memories seem to be. Have we forgotten already that when the Conservatives took over from the Liberals, they had massive surplus, including a 3 billion dollar emergency fun just for times like this. Funny, now the CONS need to come up with 3 billion dollars to bail out the auto industry.

Its too bad they blew that emergency fund, along with the rest of the surplus! It amazes me how many people on here think the Liberals will somehow plunge the country further into debt. To refresh your short memories: The Liberals are the ones who left Stephen Harper a surplus which only took him 2 years to wipe out! And to the people who are so dillusional as to think Harper's economic update what actually a plan: A plan to do what exactly? 1) Take away the right to strike by civil workers 2) Take away the right's of women to appeal pay equity cases 3) Use his time in power to eliminate funding for the other parties...THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL A PLAN?!?! YOU PEOPLE REALLY FELL FOR THAT?!?!

Get your facts straight people, the Liberals have a MUCH better record of fiscal management than the CONS could ever hope to achieve. But if you are happy with being lied to: "We will not run a deficit, we are not headed for a recession, our economic fundamentals are sound" -J. Flaherty; and if you are happy with a teeny tiny GST cut which really makes NO difference to the average low-middle income Canadian family...then keep listening to Steve!

C. Riess
Sounds like the hyper-partizan Scott Brison is playing political games again! Saying that the Liberals can't provide specific ideas for the budget until they see "realistic numbers" from Flaherty? It is obvious that the Liberals are NOT willing to put specific ideas on the table and are looking for reasons either not to help craft the budget or to defeat the government. Very hypocritical of Brison to attack the Conservatives as being partisan and playing political games and then come up with this political stunt! Check your egos at the door and work together on a budget.

greg McNeely
Brison wants honesty? Would he even be able to recognize it? Please Mr. Brison, your hypocrisy is pathetic.

Pat
No - Ron from Calgary

"As I read the reader comments, I am also surprised by the venomous tone toward opposition parties. Could it be that Canada has officially sunk to a state of greater ignorance and partisanship that the US?"

The venomous tone comes from being lied to, stolen from, held hostage by power freaks with nothing constructive to add in a time of crisis, knocking our heads against the wall to have our elected & well paid officials actually get to work and stop the obstruction of our elected government - do I need to go on. I for one am a very proud Canadian but I also have confidence, sympathy & support for our neighbours in the US.

Must be a Liberal supporter - automatic superiority due to years & years of entitlement!

g butt
Herb: The CONS are consulting the opposition because they are in a minority government. When they don't consult the opposition the government is accused of being a bully and not working with the opposition, and when they do, the government is accused of not having a plan. So which is it? Me, I don't trust the Liberals with my tax dollar- what they don't steal or give to their friends, they will waste ( remember the gun registry??) I would rather the Liberals were kept out of it, but this is a minority government, right.

Mike in Mississauga
Oh Boy!!! here we go again Flaherty made good on his promise to listen to the opposition for ideas. No sooner than Brison was given the opportunity, he blows it!!

The Canadian people want to get on with it Scott. Don't you get it yet!!!

The Liberals are the opposition not the government.
This is what happens when you send a boy to do a man's job

PB - Edmonton
Isn't it interesting?
Scott Brison critisizes the government without having numbers for the current state of economy! And he needs those numbers to even get the ideas how to save the economy. What a doofus! The more he talks, the more empty-headed he looks.

The only number he really needs is 40 - the number of parliament seats the Liberals are getting in the next election.

Brian Good
Honest Fiscal Numbers..really? From a Liberal - this has got to be a joke. They NEVER hit the mark for realist economic forecasts, always ending with astronomical budget surpluses year after year. Now a surplus may sound good, but this really means that the liberals for years, over taxed and under spent. Now for a liberal under spending is a real challenge when throwing money to any possible group that would vote for you next time, while shoveling taxpayers money in to the liberal coffers, no wonder they have no money, they haven't been able to steal taxpayers money for a couple of years now. Seriously - a liberal doesn't know an honest number if it bit them.

eugene
Isn't it great to see the Liberals use the word "honesty" in talks regarding Flaherty. Aren't they the ones a little while ago who had the sponsership scandal, the gun registry hole where billions was squandered,etc,etc.
Get real,Brison!

Jamie D
This is the final straw. The pro conservitive posters on this thread a few weeks back were beating the drum that Harper had it right. Now two weeks later apparently harper doesn't have it right, and needs to consult with the other parties. What has changed? How come Harper isn't standing up to these bullies? He said in the election that he has a solid plan to deal with the Economy, and so all he has to do is show the liberals/NDP/BLOC that plan, and this should be over with. I mean economic common sense should shine through shouldn't it?

Edwin from Toronto
Liberal should approve the budget if it include scrapping the GST, which is their own promise when the Liberals are in power.

Richard from Ontario
Dan@Kentville,N.S.
It's apparent that you are making a comment re Mr Flaherty without too much knowledge of the subject.
Dalton McGuinty and his Finance critic, made a big noise about the deficit that the PC's were leaving. In fact that was in the middle of the fiscal year and the budget would have been balanced. They then introduced the biggest tax hike in the history of the province and wonder of wonders balanced the budget in two years...Amazing. Funny enough Mike Harris and company haven't been in power in Ontario for ten years yet all the financial and many other woes in Ontario are still be blamed on him...Now I can't understand how Mr Flaherty and Mr Harper had enough power to cause this world wide recession.

Richard D
John E:

You are absolutely correct. Brison never ran for the leadership of the new Conservative Party. He did, however, campaign in support of the merger, and even voted in favour of it.

Strange, isn't it, that he would then jump ship a mere three days after the vote? Surely he had to know what people would be involved before he voted, didn't he? After all, I'd hate to think that he would just blindly vote in favour of something without researching it or having the political foresight to notice that Reform members would be in positions of influence.

His decision to jump ship wouldn't have had anything to do with the fact that Martin promised him a parliamentary secretary post, would it? Nah. That would make him just like every single politician out there. And we all know he isn't one of those, don't we?

Astounded At The Hypocrisy
To Peter Rapsey: From what I understand, the Liberals were able to run a surplus due to the 60 billion they collected illegally in EI payments.

To the news media I would say this: Why do the Liberals get most of the positive press? The Liberal Party has just been discovered to have taxed the Canadian people illegally to the tune of 60 billion dollars!!!!!! And Brison and McCallum have the nerve to stand there in a media scrum and demand honesty from the Conservative Party?!

This illegal taxation has been glossed over by the media and its sickens me. If the Conservative Party had done that it would be splattered across every headline on every news website. What do the Liberals have on you all anyway?

And do you actually have the courage to post this comment?

v brcic
This is hillarious, how can we believe anything that Brison says and the the Liberals are saying, correct me if I am worng, however wasn't Brison the MInister of PWGSC when they decided to sell Cnadian Assets.... like the buildings we own and then Lease them back? Good plan, now he has concerns about the plan and the sales...make up your mind, typical Liberal, when you were in power it was ok, now you have concerns, even though it was your plan...

Henry in Alberta
I really believe it is time for a flat tax rate across the board in Canada. No tax rebates, etcetera, just a flat tax rate of say 10% across all income levels. It would reduce the tax burden porportionatly across all income levels and provide money in people's pockets.

Nick in Sudbury
It's hilarious to hear comments about how the 2% cut in the GST actually hurts Canadians....I may be strange, but I belive more money in my pocket is a good thing.

What better way to stimulate our economy that to give people tax cuts which in turn gives people more money to spend as they wish.

The Liberals continue to criticize the Conservatives about not having a plan to get Canadians out of this global recession, however, where is the Liberal plan? Has anyone heard any specifics that the Liberals want to see in the upcoming budget?

I've got an idea! why don't we illegally collect 54 billion in EI contributions from the working stiff like the Liberals did from 2002 to 2005 (which the Supreme court of Canada deemed "illegal") and use it to stimulate the economy?

I need mr. Brison or any Liberal running the economy like I need a kick in the head!

Brian from Barrie
Who is Scott Brison to ask for financial numbers from Flaherty? Again the Liberal arrogance and "sense of entitlement" comes into play. Hello Mr Brison! We did elect you as the ruling Govenment in spite of your parties attempted coup! We keep hearing how the Conservatives have to co-operate and play nice, what about you guys, maybe you should co-operate as well! Cant wait for the next election to send the Liberals and NDP into retirement!

Chris Hodgson in Ontariariari-Oh!
I find it strange that the liberals only just recently were ready to bring the government down because they did'nt provide an immediate stimulus package in their fiscal update,yet now they are willing to sit down and go over the numbers to see what may be best in the upcoming budget in January.Could it be that they have been looking at all the latest polling numbers? or have they just discovered "common sense".

Whatever it is ,it only makes sense to take the time to get this thing right as whatever decisions are made they will affect us for years to come.As far as anyone trying to pull the wool over anyone I this global meltdown caught every one by surpries by not only it's severity but how quickly it moved through the market's.

So as far as having any real numbers to go on I think it would be much like trying to hit a moving target as the volativity in the markets make it very difficult to make any firm projections.I just hope these guys leave their political rivalry's at home and work together to do what they can to help Canadian's ride this storm and ensure our prospects for the future.Let's not saddle future generation's with more debt for short term political gainn

BC jeff
Too bad that Flaherty had to be faced with non-confidence before he decides the cons will discuss the state of the nations finances with the opposition??

His leader promised open and constructive dialog with the opposition(s) in the election, yet delivers a statement that was anything but. Harper better get his ego in check and stop screwing with the countries well being. His political ambitions are far less important that the need for the parties to come together and get something on the table that may actually help save Cda from the type financial ruin that is happening in the US. Crazy you say? We're not the US?

Well how is it that Harpers team quietly approved, more than 2 years ago, a plan that allowed private lenders to operate on the same platform as the US sub-prime debacle?? As it stands 50% of all the money loaned for mortgages, since he took office, has been with this dodgy "no cash down 40 year mortgage" scheme? As reported by the Globe more than $56 billion is out there financing property in a market that has real estate now rapidly in decline. Add to that the more than 100,000 fulltime jobs lost (and many more to come starting in Jan) and we're poised on the brink.

Sure we have a better banking system, but that won't save the day if we continue towards free fall in the employment sector. So how is it that Stevie plowed through a 13 billion surplus (including Paul Martins 3 billion reserve) to now have to send us into deficit territory? Bottom line politicians, stop screwing around with partisan bull!! We, all Cdns, need to encourage our MP's to co-operate and communicate towards a new budget that will help minimize the damage to our nation.

Linda in Vancouver
It seems to me that anyone looking towards politicians for accurate information on the economy are going to get what they deserve. NOTHING !
They won't admit it,but they truly do not know.Not in Canada,the USA,Europe,or any other place,has anyone figured out how to get out of this.Anyone who claims to have the solution is simply lying.

There are people all over the world,most a lot smarter than Mr.Brison,trying to get this sorted out.Politicians are just doing what they always do,trying to "spin" the crisis in a way that benefits them personally.
When the dust settles,I see no real fix here until the USA gets a handle on the problem there.Even then,the road back to a reasonably prosperous economy will be a long one.
Trillions of dollars of wealth have been lost.Even if the mess is fixed,I think recovery will take a long time.

Stu from London
Boy, the right wing venom is really out on this one. You conservatives should just be happy that the Liberals are actually looking to contribute to the budget. Flaherty needs all the help he can get.

I don't care how bad the Liberals might seem, I'll never vote for the conservatives.

Sahib Reginwale
He is demanding the impossible!

Mike from Sudbury
Wow what a surprise....Michael Ignatieff speaks to the Public and the common theme in his screen play is "I don't trust the numbers given by Minister Flaherty", and like magic the next day the rest of the liberal parrots are out squawking the same song and dance. How completely transparent the Liberals are becomming in showing there true colors. Canadaians are insulted by your obvious motives, and they are not in Canadians best interest. Please quit wasting our time and let Mr. Harper do his job.

Jay-TO
Its pretty evident from the commentors here that the conservatives are hiding a deficit. The proof? Con supporters are slamming the liberals for wanting accountability and transparency with the country's fiscal numbers. When was transparency and accountability a bad thing. Didn't Harper run on transparency and accountability two minorities ago?

Of course he only enacted less than half of it since his party members are operating a revolving door with lobbying. So now we have people who are supposedly fiscal conservatives dodging open transparency. And to top it of their supporters want no transparency on this issue. My god people you have absolutely zero standards. What a bunch of sell outs. Blind partisanship leads to authoritarian regimes. Its about time you cons started asking more of your "godfathers".

Alysha Ont
Iggy is just after the "Elite" Canadians and doesn't give a hoot about the ordinary person. Layton has such a strong HATE for the Conservatives and unfortunately the Liberals are sitting in his back pocket on that one. I hope the newly elected MP's fr these two parties will see the light for what their leaders truly are.

Elizabeth, Ontario
Scott Brison wants "honest" fiscal numbers from the Tories? I'm not sure he, nor any other Liberal member, would recognize "honest" if it bit them on the nose! What they do recognize is power at the cost of this country and the Canadian taxpayer. I believe the LIBs are paying lip service right now, providing their input for the budget, but, in reality, they fully intend to take down our elected government no matter what the budget contains. This Coalition is very scary and every Canadian citizen should not sit back and accept this powerplay by the LIBs.

Walker
Best laugh I've had in a while. When the Conservatives don't implement budget ideas the Liberals say they are putting forward, although no one seems to know what they are, the Conservatives are being uncooperative. If the Conservatives do implement suggestions, the Liberals accuse them of stealing their ideas. The Liberals have enjoyed playing up how the Conservatives have done nothing, when in fact they know very well that the economy could not have been managed any better over the past 20 months. Now if things work out in the economy, the Liberal egos will be crowing its only because the Conservatives listened to them and the coalition forced them to do something. If it doesn't work out, oh those Bad Conservatives. What a bunch of baloney. Instead of spending so much engery congratulating themselves every five minutes, maybe the Liberals would like to let the rest of us in on what their great plan for the economy is.

We heard nothing during the election except Green Shift and have heard nothing since. The only thing they've put forward in the media is that the Conservatives have it all wrong. The Liberals evade the question every single time they are asked what they would do and turn it back to those nasty Conservatives and their laissez-faire attitude. I dare any Liberal to tell us what the right thing to do would be and what the Liberals would do for the economy. I dare them to answer the question without using the words this government, Conservatives or Harper. Bet they can't do it. Still laughing.

yet another Ron in Calgary
I find it very interesting that instead of offering suggestions for STIMULUS (the reasons given for wanting to vote the government down) the current tactic is one of 'disclosure' to see what the books say.

How do the two correlate? Industries and workers that need stimulus don't care about the balance sheet of the country, right?

For a coalition government that supposedly had all the good answers, they sure aren't forthcoming with any. To the Conservatives, or to the Canadians they pretend to represent.

The coalition members howl about 'partisan politics'. How guilty they are of hypocrisy.

It's evident their tactic is to try to demonstrate a 2008 deficit. So what? true or not, it doesn't make any difference for the supposed stimulus required to the economy.

The coalition are the ones that need to 'demonstrate cooperation'. They also need to demonstrate they have practical ideas.

Bob,Calgary,Alberta
I personally think it is far more important for the Conservatives to consult with the provincial premiers since they are privy to what is actually going on in their provinces. The Liberals are not really in a position to offer any usable ideas since their sole objective is to make Stephen Harper look bad. Certainly they shouldn't even open a conversation with the NDP none of whom even understand economics/business. This recession is a real opportunity to spend money wisely to improve our overall infrastructure (bridges,roads,water facilities,rapid transit) and the provinces/cities have the best intelligence on these areas not the Liberal/NDP hacks. In the end the recession will run it's course and the objective of government should be to ease suffering because this is a worldwide problem Canada has no real influence over, even though the Libs/NDP pretend there is a magic wand which will solve everything.

Lyle
Why do the Liberals need those "honest, up-to-date, accurate and reliable" numbers? Didn't the coalition already have a $30 billion stimulus package worked out? Don't tell me they were making a $30 billion promise without those numbers just two weeks ago. The Liberals, NDP and BQ traitors couldn't have been so cynical and dishonest, could they?

Derek Lothian
With the unravelling state of economic and social affairs in parts of this country, particularily east of Manitoba, it is strikingly disappointing to see this particular story even resembling a coherent national headline. We have far greater issues to confront than a disheveled, skeleton political party clammering to stay in the spotlight long enough to - if all goes as planned - become relevant for another pathetic fifteen minutes.

If Canada is to truly persevere amongst the worlds most influencial and respected leaders, politically motiviated media ventures on both sides of the bureaucratic spectrum need to shake out the cobwebs and help create a national environment where regular, everyday people once again look to invest a piece (however small) of their own, personal interests into the day's affairs.

Oh, Canada.

Rodger in Calgary
I think people need to look at an actual and useful solution to "bailing out" the economy. People need jobs. The "Detroit Three" are failing companies, perhaps not equally, but have messed up for too long and do not deserve to be bailed out. Do I get a bailout if my company of 6 people is in trouble?

The solution that was discussed in France and also put forward by President-elect Obama is to invest money into infrastructure. Since this is something that constantly comes up during elections and is obviously needed, the Government should be spending money now on rebuilding bridges, highways, schools, nuclear power plants even...(can of worms there?)

All the overpaid unionized auto workers could then be easily offered gainful employment and serve a great purpose, while still paying their own taxes and their mortgages to keep the economy moving along quite nicely thank you very much.

I'd also like to comment that if neither the Conservatives nor the Liberals nor the NDP put forth any such recommendation, and suggest that we toss money to failing car companies, then I would like to unofficially throw my name in the ring to present a plan to the people of Canada and see what feedback we get out of it.

Common sense is the answer; there is too much emotional, uneducated nonsense being spouted about, including on this website. If you have nothing intelligent to say, please keep your comments to yourselves. It would save a great deal of time and frustration bantering back and forth like a bunch of children in the schoolyard. And YES, for those thinking it, the SAME thing applies to everyone in Ottawa that are SUPPOSED to be working for us!

Thank you.

Alan
Oh, Mr. Brison want "honest" numbers. Kind of the "honest" numbers the Liberal party used by transferring EI money to general revenue? Doesn't anyone remember this, or was it too long ago for the media's memory?

I'm still waiting for the news clip for someone being led away in handcuffs.

Ready to go!
If the Conservatives don't want to compromise too much, that will be fine with me. Let the Liberals force another election.

Jeanie - London
How did former Progressive Conservative Scott Brison turn into such a senior Liberal financial guru?? He must have learned all his 'smarts' from the Tories.

common cents
Wants honesty, not under- estimating the surplus as practiced by the Liberals for years.

Scott from Halifax
Scott Brison, can't even look after his own constituency. He's been there forever, and outside of his own little town where he keeps funneling money, you need a tank to be able to drive on the roads they are in such bad shape. Jobs are few and far between, and many farms have closed. This guy is a fake, and is not to be believed in any respect. What a sad day for Canada that Canadians allow him to grandstand like this. I guess Rosdedale will have PRIDE in him. Too bad he would not just move there.
Why are people believing this guy? He is now saying he supports, what he said he condemned two weeks ago. I heard him myself say he condemned Harper and supported the coalition because Harper put us into deficit, yet it's ok if Brison suggests it. Another power hungry Liberal, who will do anything, say anything, steal anything, hurt anything to get into power.

Peter
I can see it now....The Liberals and their Junta allies will pressure the Government to spend like drunken sailors and go into a big deficit. Then they will say that only they can undo the Conservative's deficit and point to all the spending. It's the Libranos at play again!

ultamatt in n.s.
joe sanity in comments above claims the gst cut was worthless to joe average because you would spend $50,000 to save $1,000 . well bud i only make about 40k a year , that gst cut saves me 800 bucks , seeing as all my money is spent. better that $800 in my pocket than letting some lunatic coalition syphon it to the bloc . apparently they recieve 60 % of the transfer patments for the whole country now , and the lib/ndp coalition promised them even more . scott brison needs to stop demanding so much and start offering more , but being a lawyer its not in his nature.

Brison just a partisan chatterbox
Does Scott Brison not have any ideas of his own or will he continue to chatter his gums in political doublespeak and criticism for the government? This guy is a little rich for any government to take seriously. Never send a boy to do a mans job my dad used to say and that certainly applies here today.

WHERE DOES THE OPPOSITION STAND ON THE ECONOMY- WHAT ARE THEIR POLICIES THEY WANT TO SEE PUT FORWARD?

al from calgary
Joe Sanity;
Remember its the democrats that control the house so your anti Bush retoric is old news. Also if you liberals are so sure that the people support you go to the polls, besides it ok if no one in Quebec will vote for the conservatives, you liberals have destroyed your credability in the rest of Canada

Great!
Like it or not we will have either a conservative government run by liberals or a coalition ran by liberals.
Either way we end up with a liberal government cause little stevey harper can't play nice with the other kids.

Flaherty didn't lie about taxing income trusts.
Oh, wait, he did.

Yeah, you can really trust Jimbo. He knows what he's talking about, Jimbo does.

CUT POLITICAL PARTY FUNDING NOW !
The budget SHOULD include the repeal of taxpayer funding of ALL political parties.

Because of this Chretien policy Canadians have being funding the separatists and that can be successfully challenged in court as treasonous. That will save us 30 million bucks wasted on partisan politics.

Conservative-Liberal coalition
Harper can make another deal with the Bloc Quebecois for support . . . as he did in 2005.

Canada's first minority government in a quarter of a century fell on the night of Nov. 28, 2005. The Conservatives, New Democrats and Bloc Québécois united to defeat Paul Martin's Liberals by approving a simple motion: "That this House has lost confidence in the Government.

Richard L. Provencher
I hope Mr. Brison is speaking in good faith, since has the reputation of liking the limelight. By the way Mr. B, where are those figures the coalition threw around not so long ago. This is not a cat and mouse game. Where are YOUR ideas? Or are you waiting for a chance to attack the Conservative plan. I do believe it is time to have another election and stop this dance with the Liberals. And for anyone who thinks the $300 million cost is too much, don't forget many, many thousands of seniors like my wife and myself had a chance to earn extra dollars working on the polls and our money went right back into the economy. If the Liberals thinks it is too much, then remind them of the $500 million they paid to cancel the helicopter contract when Mr. Chretien won the first of his three elections. Time for a majority for the Conservatives and to get rid of this coalition sham.

PhilipHauser
Maybe these guys haven't noticed but the numbers seem to be changing daily. If it has a dollar sign in front of it it is likely very different today than it was even a week ago.

You can't make policy changing with the wind. You have to take what you know and apply the variables to come up with some ideas of what to do.

If this clowns take over and want up to date numbers the recession will be over before they do anything about it.

You must be lying like Flaherty, ultamatt
If you earn $40,000 and the two percent GST cut saved you $800, then that would mean that you spent all of your annual earnings on GST-taxed goods and services . . . which seems extremely unlikely.

Do you think the rest of Canadians are as stupid as Harper supporters?

Fred - Brandon MB
I just can't get my head around "Scott Brison" and "honest" in the same sentence. It must be some kind of oxymoron or something. The Liberals don't want input into the budget, they just want an excuse to defeat it so their ill-concieved coalition can go ahead.

The Opposition is not required to propose anything
It's up to the Harper government to make its play or crawl away.

Let's see your big masterplan, Harper.

Sweep the nation with your genius.

Or go down to defeat.

disgrunted Canadian.
Not sure which is worse; our politicians (both sides) who want to ensure that they can blame the other side for any possible downturn or the pathetic people here whose only 'ray of light' is complaining. Get a life folks!

John E
To: Brent - Penticton, BC
We in Ontario have been telling the ROC what Mr. Flaherty did to Ontario's economy, however, our warnings fell on deaf ears. Mr. Flaherty did the same to Ontario, he built his budget on soft and erroneous data. When Harris was voted out the McGuinty govt was outraged that the financial state of Ontario was so bad. As a result Dalton McGuinty had no choice but to back track on a number of his election promises. Had Mr. Harris stayed in power one can only guess how much worst Mr. Flaherty would have made the Ontario economy. Now the ROC gets to experience the magic book work of Mr. Flaherty.

Drew in NS
I suppose Scott Brison want's honest numbers so he can tip off his Bay Street Buddies again.

What's McCallums definition of "honest", hopefully he's redefined the term honest to match that of the ordinary Canadian.

They attended the meeting, but Iggy already stated he's not going to support the Tory Budget.

Canada takes to the polls

AG in Ottawa
to Alma
"the foreign cars are cheap to buy but too exepensive (sic) to fix."

You're correct in the first part: Toyota's and Honda's are cheaper to buy. But you're wrong on the second premise. My Honda's haven't needed anywhere near the fixing that previous Ford's and Chrysler's have cost me. I'll never go back to Detroit Iron. Public money into that bottomless pit is a terrible waste of my tax dollars.

Brad G - Edmonton
I think there are politicians on both siders who are capable of putting aside ideological differences and working together for the common good......but Brison isn't one of them Guys like Brison (Dryden is another) him will take whatever info they are given and then use it for partisan attacks and smear campaigns. The Cons have to involve Flaherty due to his position but the Libs must send honest delegates, regardless of their shadow-cabinet positions or this exercise is a total waste of time.

Michael from Toronto
The Liberals would seem to be looking for a fight. As the opposition, they simply have to request the required information and provide their response after given a reasonable amount of time to prepare. If they are simply executing their duties to their electorate, they do not have to presume the data is bogus and start a fight.

If the data turns out to be bogus they can complain after the fact. PMs should not accuse each other of lying even before they exchange information. If they are then they are just angling for a fight and not fulfilling their duty to their voters. We did not vote in MPs to behave like thugs in Parliament.

For a party that has proven itself to be stupid, I suppose the Liberals have nothing more to lose by also acting stupid.

KennyG
They said a productive meeting then tear the crap out of anything positive. Why can't the Libs be constructive. They sure try hard to make it look like they have all the answers. We don't seem to get that step forward with out them wanting to take two back.
My question is why talk to those other parties?
Grow you Libs and show some spunk. We need leadership and you are not offering any.

Andrea
Look this is really bizarre, to see the liberals taking the lead on this issue.

Personally, when it comes to international trade, or globalization, and economy, you have to ask yourself this question, "how many people in International trade and the finance dept have their FITT Certification, or a registered chartered accountant, or top rated economist?

Maybe it is time for the govt, and public service to look at the people they hire to do these jobs in the different govt depts.

Wayne in BC
Make the oilsands in Alberta pay for the auto bailout in Canada. Why should we use our tax money to pay for the bail out?

Jake Castlegar
People, mark my words. The Liberal is playing dirty trick here. The Liberal and the Coalition do not have any economic plans of their own. Neither do they know what should be done to change the economy around. They want the Conservative government to divulge its plans and budget together with all the "honest" numbers. No matter how good the government plans and budget are, the Coalition still will defeat the legally elected government and form the government themselves. Then they would use the Conservatives' plan and budget and claim to be their own. And if the plans and budget work, the Coalition will claim credit for them.

wilbil
What I like about the meeting the Liberals had with Mr. Flaherty was- NO!! Jack Layton.

Jack Layton is the main reason the government isn't sitting to day,its he! who was the Bully when he met Harper to discuss any reasonable ideas he had for simulating the Canadian economy. The problem was Jack had No idea what to do.

Now with a new Liberal party leader one who will listen and not always react Canada has a new lease on life.

Just keep Jack Layton away don't call him and if he calls don't answer.

Dayton
I can't believe how fast these guys can run to the microphone. Get to work and see if you can do better. I think I've heard enough about Fiscal this and fiscal that to last me a lifetime let alone one day of interviews Scott!!!