![Text Box: Nov. 28/05
D-Day: Stage Set for Non-Confidence Vote
Live across Canada on network television, the final act in Paul Martin’s 17-month-old minority Liberal government is set to be played out Monday night with a House of Commons vote on an opposition motion of non-confidence.
National media coverage advanced the election story very little Monday morning, describing all sides as hunkered down for the start of a nasty winter campaign, expected to last eight weeks with voting day on January 23. [Globe A1, Nat Post A1, Ott Cit A1, Tor Star A1]
The media spotlight will shift to developing coverage for the grand-finale of the Monday night vote in the House of Commons, campaign kickoffs from political leaders, and PM Martin’s trip Tuesday morning to ask the Governor General to dissolve Parliament.
News reports commented the campaign is really already underway, with PM Martin receiving boos at the Grey Cup in B.C. Place, and NDP Leader Jack Layton claiming credit for forcing the Liberal government to rewrite its spring budget.
While Conservative Leader Stephen Harper remained home Sunday, finance critic Jason Kenney joined the NDP in demanding an investigation into whether there was insider trading in advance of Finance Minister Ralph Goodale’s election-eve announcement on the tax status of income trusts.
Prominent print coverage noted Liberal star candidate Michael Ingatieff is already running into flak from the Liberal riding association in Etobicoke-Lakeshore.
News reports suggested the author and academic is unpopular in his chosen riding for expressing views offensive to the area’s large Ukrainian population [Nat Post A1]
Monday’s columns included negative comments for Conservative Leader Harper:
Ottawa Citizen columnist Susan Riley emphasized the Gomery report does not back up Harper’s claims about Liberal Party corruption in the Quebec sponsorship scandal. [Ott Cit A14]
Toronto Star columnist Chantal Hebert concluded Harper faces long odds in pulling out an election win to become prime minister. The column argued other opposition leaders won victory by campaigning on their own platforms, instead of attacking the government’s record. [Tor Star A6]](Nov_28_files/image303.gif)
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Minority Parliament Countdown
Lifeline Communications will provide ongoing daily analysis of national and regional media coverage as news developments build towards the possible collapse of Canada’s first minority parliament in 25 years.
Our media analysis will track the tone of news reports, columns, editorials and opinion pieces. Lifeline Communications will assess efforts of political parties to frame national issues, deliver key messages through the news media, and define the ‘ballot question’ voters may decide on election day. |
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