Harper's latest gambit

After weeks of being criticized for proroguing the Commons, Harper is trying to win back pissed-off Canadians by adding extra House sittings in March and April to make up some lost time. The plan is to cancel two weeks of planned parliamentary breaks, including one in March that MPs often use for vacations.

Conservatives are denying that this is an admission that prorogation was a bad idea.

Harper was too clever by half the last time he tried to outsmart the opposition. This is a rather lame-brained attempt to make up for lost ground.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/prorogation/harper-sets-a-trap-for-the-opposition/article1455530/

Harper in trouble

A new Harris-Decima poll puts Liberals and Tories in dead heat, with opposition making inroads in key battlegrounds. Overall the two parties are tied at 32 per cent. But Harris-Decima chairman Allan Gregg says the real story lies below the headline numbers.

“What you have on the surface is a dead heat, but if you dig a little deeper, what you see is that the Liberals are clearly making some inroads into key, battleground constituencies.”

“They are emerging as the federalist default option to the BQ in the province of Quebec, they are ahead in Ontario for the first time since September.”

He observed that Harper's decision to prorogue Parliament has added to what has always been a character issue. In terms of his leadership rating, "Harper basically took a 14-point hit between fall and post-prorogation.”

Keep it up Canadians! Let him know what we think and we may soon be rid of this dictator.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/grits-gaining-ground-in-ontario-quebec-poll/article1452478/