Down in the Polls Layton Doesn't Want an Election

As Michael Ignatieff has been slowly gaining ground, much of it has been at the expense of Jack Layton and the NDP.

Now as the threat of a summer election looms over prosed changes to EI, Mr. Layton has publicly stated that he will not support a non-confidence motion, but will continue to allow the Conservatives to run ram shod over everything that Canada stands for.

I guess I can understand his position, but choosing to leave many of Canada's unemployed out in the cold, might be a difficult thing for him to explain when an election actually takes. The NDP were always for labour, so now he's going to vote against workers.

I really like Jack Layton and have voted for him twice, but I hope he's really thought this through. If Harper stands firm on not wanting to help the unemployed, and Layton supports it .... ba bye!

Layton says he won't force summer election
May. 31 2009
CTV.ca News Staff

Jack Layton says he won't force a confidence vote in the House of Commons in the final weeks of the current Parliamentary session, but he is prepared to face the electorate should the Liberals choose to bring down the Conservative government.

Layton reiterated Sunday that his goals for the next few weeks include getting an NDP EI reform bill passed and changing the Canada Pension Plan before MPs go to their home ridings for the summer.

"Our intention is to use the remaining weeks to try to get some action on these issues in the House of Commons," Layton said during an interview on CTV's Question Period. "We won't be moving a confidence motion. We're going to try to move motions that get results for people."

The NDP has called for a range of CPP reforms, including protection for public sector pensions and more oversight for the investment practices of CPP fund managers.

The party also wants a number of EI reforms, including reducing the number of hours worked to qualify, extending benefits to self-employed workers and eliminating waiting periods.

The party's EI reform bill will be tabled in the House on June 10.

Layton said rather than try to bring down the government over the issue, he is willing to accept amendments to the legislation from the other parties.

"I don't think Canadians would want us to (force an election)," Layton said.

"What they would want us to do is get their pensions protected, get the EI system fixed. So that's exactly what we've been doing and we'll continue to do that. As to what the other parties will do, they will have to make up their own minds. We're prepared for an election if it comes to it."

Now I'm all for everything that Jack Layton is proposing and I hope that he can change Harper's mind. However, I still wonder what he will do and how he can justify, simply accepting the status quo.

This Conservative government has got to go while we still have a country left to proud of. He knows that. We know that. Maybe, like Harper, Layton is just in it for himself.