goodale gets it right!

Tories bracing for potential return to polls
January 23, 2007 / KATHLEEN HARRIS, FREE PRESS PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU

...Liberals smell a possible return to power. ...

...Goodale slammed Harper for governing in a very "arrogant and high-handed" manner, but said the Grits won't play a game of political chicken in the coming session of Parliament.

NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis said when it comes to the Tories, the more Canadians see, the less they like. She blasted them for only "waking up" to the environment issue because of sagging popularity in the polls.

Tories bracing for potential return to polls
January 23, 2007 KATHLEEN HARRIS, FREE PRESS PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU

OTTAWA -- What a difference a year makes.

Last Jan. 23, Stephen Harper was rejoicing in a slim electoral victory as Canadians ended 13 years of Liberal rule and gave the Tories a trial run in office. But after a tricky, turbulent first year, Conservatives are now bracing for another potential trip to the polls as rejuvenated Liberals smell a possible return to power.

The nation's eyes are now focused on the government's plans for the hot-button environment issue; yet the real test that could topple the fragile government will come with the March budget.

Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg said the federal government is more responsive and practical than before. The plan now is to build with more help for average Canadians in the coming year.

"Many of the measures we've brought in are regular, middle-class type issues. The apprenticeship grant or the tax credit for books for university -- these are the kinds of things regular people like and appreciate and see the need for," Solberg said.

While recent polls have shown the Conservatives and Liberals running neck and neck, Solberg isn't putting much faith in the numbers. He believes Canadians are embracing a "big change in attitude" at the top, and thinks they like the prime minister's decisiveness and determination to get things done at home and abroad.

"Their attitude has shifted about their country and about him and when it comes to an election I feel pretty confident they will weigh all these leaders and they'll like what they see when they think about Stephen Harper," he said.

Solberg is also confident the government can survive the spring with a budget that makes a "persuasive case" the Tories are addressing the needs of Canadians.

"If we do that it will be hard for the other parties to justify bringing us down," he said. "We've just come off another election and to have another one now -- people would really question if we're doing it for the right reasons."

But Liberal House Leader Ralph Goodale said the political landscape has changed dramatically in the last year and while no one is hungry for a campaign, they will all be ready. Downtrodden with defeat a year ago, the Grits are now riding high after December's leadership convention left the caucus with "new cohesion and optimism."

"I would never claim we're across the finish line, but the circumstances and our level of performance has decidedly improved," he said.

Goodale slammed Harper for governing in a very "arrogant and high-handed" manner, but said the Grits won't play a game of political chicken in the coming session of Parliament.

NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis said when it comes to the Tories, the more Canadians see, the less they like. She blasted them for only "waking up" to the environment issue because of sagging popularity in the polls.