“We have an election scheduled in 2015 and I plan to lead the party in that.” – Stephen Harper
The Canadian Press reports, “Stephen Harper is trying to quell speculation that he’ll resign before the next election. In televised, year-end interviews with Global News and Quebec’s TVA network, the prime minister said he intends to lead the Conservative party in the scheduled fall 2015 campaign. …Harper made it clear in both TV interviews that he intends to campaign in the next election on his government’s economic management.”
“Harper’s leadership has been the subject of mounting speculation since the Senate expenses scandal landed squarely on his doorstep last spring.” The names that have come up in media reports include cabinet ministers Jason Kenney and James Moore, as well as Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall.
Prior to the October 19, 2015 election, the Harper government will implement the Canada Health Accord (on March 31, 2014, cutting $36 billion from public health care over the next ten years), proceed with the Northern Gateway pipeline (that decision is expected by June 19, 2014), ratify the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (it is believed that this may be scheduled for September 2015), and pursue numerous other harmful policies.
Today’s news report adds, “He revealed (his government) will also soon be launching ‘some big transformations’ of the immigration system aimed at resolving the mismatch between job openings and the skills of available Canadian workers. The ‘passive’ system of processing applications of would-be immigrants will be replaced with what Harper called ‘the expression of interest system,’ which would allow the government to more actively recruit immigrants who can enter the workforce immediately.”
An Ipsos Reid poll released in late October found that if an election were held now the popular support for the parties would be:
NDP – 31 per cent
Liberals – 31 per cent
Conservatives – 30 per cent
Bloc Quebecois – 6 per cent
Green Party – 2 per cent
Undecided – 15 per cent
In December 2011, the Harper government passed a bill in the House of Commons that will expand the chamber by 30 seats. The bill means there will be 338 ridings in play in the 2015 federal election. The 30 seats will be distributed as follows: 15 to Ontario, 6 each to Alberta and British Columbia, and 3 to Quebec. The Conservatives used their ‘majority’ to pass the legislation, which was opposed by all of the opposition parties.
