Stockwell Day Makes Secret Deal With Separatists

Despite their fictitious campaign during the parliamentary crisis, the Conservatives have long been in favour of coalitions. But even before Stephen Harper formed his in 2004 with the Bloc and NDP; Stockwell Day made a secret deal with the Bloc and Progressive Conservatives in 2000, when he was leader of the Canadian Alliance Party.

Overconfident in his bid to oust Jean Chretien and overturn the results of the 2000 election, he planned to form a coalition with the separatist Quebec Party, and the PCs, then name himself Prime Minister.

All of this was uncovered by Daniel LeBlanc, journalist for the Globe and Mail.

Bloc part of secret coalition plot in 2000 with Canadian Alliance
A document obtained by The Globe and Mail shows that the scheme would have propelled then Alliance leader Stockwell Day to power in the coalition. A lawyer who was described then as being close to Day, says he didn't discuss the matter with the MPs

DANIEL LEBLANC
OTTAWA
Globe and Mail

The separatist Bloc Québécois was part of secret plotting in 2000 to join a formal coalition with the two parties that now make up Stephen Harper's government, according to documents obtained by The Globe and Mail. The scheme, designed to propel current Conservative minister Stockwell Day to power, undermines the Harper government's line this week that it would never sign a deal like the current one between the Liberal Party, the NDP and the Bloc.

Bloc officials said that well-known Calgary lawyer Gerry Chipeur sent a written offer before the votes were counted on election day on Nov. 27, 2000. According to prominent sovereigntist lawyer Eric Bédard, who received the proposal, Mr. Chipeur identified himself as being close to Mr. Day, the leader of the Canadian Alliance at the time ....