中新社温哥华十二月一日电 (记者 吕振亚)加拿大国会三大反对党一日签署正式协议，将联手推翻现任保守党少数派政府，组建一个为期至少十八个月的联合政府。
加拿大政坛一周来风云突变，起因是执政的保守党政府在上月二十七日发布的财政报告引起三大反对党的一致讨伐。几天来，渥太华国会山里，本来“水火不相容”的自由党、新民主党和魁人政团“不可思议”地走到了一起，并以最快的速度紧急磋商，最终达成了联手倒阁、联合执政的协议。协议内容包括自由党和新民主党联合组阁、自由党党领出任总理、内阁成员大幅减少等。
此间舆论称，加反对党展开了一次“历史性的政治运动”，因为在加国历史上仅在一战期间曾出现过一次联合政府。按程序，加国会将在下周一(十二月八日)进行信任投票，如果反对党联手，刚刚组建一个月的保守党政府将被迫下台。分析家认为，保守党将会采取各种方法阻止反对党倒阁，而最有可能的是宣布国会休会直到明年一月保守党提出财政预算案。
但目前形势对保守党已相当不利，反对党抓住保守党没有推出刺激经济方案这个致命点，提出新的联合政府将把刺激经济发展列入首要议程，计划组成一个包括前总理、财长在内的经济振兴小组，推出一个至少三百亿的一揽子方案。
在今天下午举行的三党联合协议签字仪式上，自由党党领狄安说，他已给加拿大总督写信，表明自己已取得国会足够的支持组建联合政府。根据加拿大法律，如果现任政府倒台，总督必须批准组建新政府或宣布进行新的大选。但本届国会刚在十月十四日大选中产生，舆论认为重新举行大选的可能性非常小。
加拿大反对党形成倒阁合力 现任政府危危可及
中新社温哥华十二月一日电 (记者 吕振亚)加拿大国会最大反对党自由党一日达成党内高度一致，决定由现任党领狄安出任联合政府总理。此间舆论称，这一结果表明，加拿大三大反对党正在酝酿的联合政府已扫清最重要的一个障碍。
据悉，如果三大反对党联手行动，现任联邦保守党哈珀政府最快于十二月八日被迫下台。根据媒体披露的细节，反对党已达成协议，新的政府将由自由党和新民主党联合组成，而魁人政团虽不会入阁，但将支持联合政府上台执政。联合政府将执政二年半，并提出一个至少三百亿的经济刺激方案。
舆论分析说，加拿大这场政治风暴是由执政的保守党政府自己引发的。四天前，刚刚组建一个月的保守党政府向国会提交最新财政报告后，反对党一致指责报告没有提出刺激经济复苏的方案，宣称“保守党政府已失去众议院的信任”。有评论更认为，保守党在财政报告中称将削减政党补助金，直接损害了反对党的政党利益，相当于触发一个“政治炸弹”。
面对巨大压力，哈珀虽决定将本应在今天举行的不信任投票向后推迟到十二月八日，但保守党随之采取的行动仍无法化解这场政治风波，“哈珀必需离开”似乎成了反对党的共识。
现执政的联邦保守党政府是在今年十月十四日大选中获胜连任的。由于保守党在三百零八个众议院议席中只占一百四十三个，未能超过半数，哈珀十月三十日刚刚组成的是加拿大四年来第三个少数派政府。其政府至少需要一个反对党的支持才能通过信任投票。
加政坛酿巨变 反对党拟组联合政府
（中央社记者张若霆多伦多1日专电）加拿大政坛正酿巨变，反对党当前正筹组联合政府，不经选举，替换执政的保守党。
加拿大反对党今天达成一项联合执政协议，并向总督尚恩（Michaelle Jean）表达已准备好执政。
自由党魁狄安（Stephane Dion）今天在致尚恩的信中表示，保守党政府已失去众议院的信任。他并指出，自由党及新民主党已达成一项共同执政的协议，并获得另一反对党、魁北克政团的支持。自由党及新民主党共同执政协议决定，联合政府将执政至少18个月。
狄安今天在与新民主党魁林顿（Jack Layton，自取中文名），魁北克政团领袖杜塞（Gilles Duceppe）签订联合执政协议后，举行记者会表示，反对党准备组成一个最能照顾人民利益的新政府，避免两个月不到的时间内，再举行一次大选。
加拿大今年10月14日才举行过大选，保守党虽连任执政，但国会议席未过半，仍是少数党政府。
根据反对党达成的协议，反对党组成联合政府后，狄安将担任总理，直到今年5月底以前他辞去党魁职务为止。今年大选，狄安因未能赢得执政权，选后已表示将辞去党魁职务。自由党已决定5月21日召开选举党魁大会。
狄安今天在致总督尚恩的信中也表示，新联合政府将会很快及有效地处理当前各项棘手的经济问题。其中包括斥资数十亿加元刺激经济方案。汽车及林木工业均在受益之列。
反对党预定下周一对保守党政府进行不信任投票。保守党政府若被挫败，尚恩便须在重新举行大选或让反对党联合执政之间，做一决定。
保守党政府上周曾公布政府财政更新报告，报告中胪列许多削支项目，独缺刺激经济景气方案，反对党对此报告极为不满，上周末乃密谋筹组联合政府，推翻保守党政府。
如果保守党政府在下周一的投票中真的挫败，而总督也同意让反对党联合政府执政，这将是加拿大自1926年以来，首次不经选举而政权递嬗。
大多数宪法专家均同意，如果自由党及新民主党能达成联合执政书面协议，总督尚恩将很难拒绝他们不经选举，替换保守党执政的要求。今年10月14日的大选，反对党的得票率为54%。
当前有传言称，保守党政府有可能要求总督令国会休会，或赶在下周一反对党投不信任票前，提前公布刺激经济方案。
当前正焦头烂额的总理哈珀，今天在众议院中表示，反对党否定数周前的选举结果，组成一个非人民选出的联合政府，将遭到人民的质疑。
哈珀并质问，自由党及新民主党的联合政府，还须主张魁北克独立，分裂国家的魁北克政团的背书，这样的联合政府真的对国家有益吗？
其实哈珀在担任反对党领袖时，也曾要求过总督，若自由党少数党政府在国会不信任投票中挫败，请准许保守党执政。当时保守党的是项要求，亦获得魁北克政团的背书。
根据自由党及新民主党的协议，两党一旦组成联合政府执政，新联合政府将任命24位内阁部长，其中自由党占18，新民主党占6位。联合政府并会组成经济顾问团，协助新政府处理经济问题。
当前反对党联合政府中仍不确定的是，新民主党魁林顿及其他入阁的新民主党阁员，究将担任何种职务。
Liberals, NDP, Bloc sign deal on proposed coalition
‘We must try to make this Parliament work,’ Dion says of accord
Last Updated: Monday, December 1, 2008 | 10:29 PM
CBC News
NDP Leader Jack Layton, left, shakes hands with Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, centre, and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe on Monday after signing a coalition agreement on Parliament Hill. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)
The Liberals and New Democrats signed an agreement on Monday to form an unprecedented coalition government, with a written pledge of support from the Bloc Québécois, if they are successful in ousting the minority Conservative government in a coming confidence vote.
The accord between parties led by Stéphane Dion, Jack Layton and Gilles Duceppe came just hours after Liberal caucus members agreed unanimously that Dion would stay on to lead the Liberal-NDP coalition, with support in the House of Commons from Bloc MPs.
Duceppe, Layton and Dion signed this document securing a coalition deal among their three parties. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)
The six-point accord includes a description of the role of the Liberal and NDP caucuses, which would meet separately and sit next to each other on the government benches in the House of Commons, Dion told a news conference alongside Layton and Duceppe.
Dion said he has advised Gov. Gen. Micha?lle Jean in a letter that he has the confidence of the Commons to form the government should Stephen Harper’s Conservatives be defeated in a confidence vote.
The Liberal leader said the parties reached the accord after watching the “sad spectacle” of other countries’ governments acting to counter the “unprecedented” global economic crisis while Harper’s Conservatives “sat and did nothing.”
“Given the critical situation facing our fellow citizens and the refusal and inability of the Harper government to deal with this critical situation, the opposition parties have decided that it was now time to take action,” he said.
“We are ready to form a new government that will address the best interests of the people instead of plunging Canadians into another election.”
Details of the deal
The proposed coalition government includes:
-24 members of cabinet and Dion as prime minister
-18 Liberal cabinet ministers (including a yet-to-be-named Liberal finance minister)
-6 NDP cabinet ministers
-6 NDP parliamentary secretaries
-The 2 caucuses would sit side by side in the House of Commons
-The agreement between the NDP and Liberals would expire on June 30, 2011, unless renewed. The Bloc is only committed to 18 months.
Dion, who previously announced he would step down as Liberal leader, also pledged he would hand over “a strong government for a stronger Canada” to his Liberal successor on May 2.
“I am honoured to do that,” Dion said.
Layton said the accord’s proposed multibillion-dollar stimulus package for the troubled economy, which includes support for the auto and forestry sectors, is “prompt, prudent, competent and, most important, effective.”
“This Parliament has failed to act, and it falls on us to act,” Layton said.
The NDP leader also called on the prime minister to “accept this gracefully” and not bring further instability by fighting the verdict of his colleagues in the House.
“Prime minister, your government has lost the confidence of the House and it is going to be defeated at the earliest opportunity,” he said.
Following the opposition news conference, Harper dispatched Environment Minister Jim Prentice to address the “serious” situation.
Prentice called the opposition pact “irresponsible and undemocratic” and said the government will consider all options.
He wouldn’t rule out the government’s asking Jean to suspend Parliament until late in January, when the Tories have promised to introduce a new budget.
The proposed coalition cabinet will comprise 24 ministers and the prime minister. Six of these ministers will be appointed from within the NDP caucus. The position of finance minister would be held by a Liberal, while the NDP would be allotted six parliamentary secretaries.
The accord between the NDP and Liberals will expire on June 30, 2011, unless it is renewed. The Bloc is only committed to 18 months.
It includes a “policy accord” to address the “present economic crisis,” which states that the accord “is built on a foundation of fiscal responsibility.”
An economic stimulus package will be the new government’s top priority, while other policies include a commitment to improve child benefits and childcare “as finances permit.”
There is also a commitment to “pursue a North American cap-and-trade market” to limit carbon emissions.
Accord ‘in the best interests of Quebec’: Duceppe
The Bloc would not officially be a part of the coalition, but the new government’s survival would depend on its support.
Duceppe said his party entered into an agreement that is “in the best interests of Quebec, of Quebecers during this time of economic difficulties.”
“We chose for the time being to give priority to the economic situation and to the assistance we must provide to people,” he said.
He added he did not agree to support the coalition beyond the 2011 date because the various parties could not agree on “concrete action to recognize the Quebec nation.”
Parliament is due to vote on a Liberal no-confidence motion on Dec. 8. If Harper’s government were to lose a confidence vote, Dion would request that Jean approve the proposed plan to form a coalition government.
But the Governor General, who is currently on a state visit in Europe, could also decide to send Canadians to the polls for a second time in less than two months. The prime minister could also still block coalition efforts by proroguing Parliament — that is, suspending it without dissolving it.
Dion has support from Liberal leadership candidates
Liberal leadership candidates Dominic LeBlanc, Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae, left to right, throw their support behind current party chief Stéphane Dion for a coalition government after a caucus meeting Monday in Ottawa. (Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)
Dion, who has been blamed by some for the Liberals’ poor showing in the October election, had agreed to step down as party leader in May.
However, in the hour-long meeting on Monday, Dion received support from all three Liberal MPs vying to replace him, Michael Ignatieff, Bob Rae and Dominic LeBlanc, the CBC’s Susan Bonner reported from outside the House of Commons.
The three leadership candidates emerged from the meeting together and told reporters they agreed to Dion’s presence, but insisted the campaign to replace him will continue “in the normal fashion.”
Ignatieff, who is the front-runner to succeed Dion in an upcoming leadership convention, said the three candidates were “at one” in their belief that “the only leader who can lead us in this context is the duly elected leader of the Liberal party.”
“I support the accord because it’s fiscally responsible, it provides responsible economic leadership in tough times and it also conserves the basic principles of national unity, equality that our party has always believed in,” he said.
Rae described the caucus meeting as “historic” and “moving,” while also saying the deal was “perfectly constitutional” and would present for Canadians “the very best possible government.”
Prime Minister Stephen Harper accused Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion on Monday of “playing the biggest political game in Canadian history.” (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)
The opposition parties say they have lost confidence in the Harper government after last Thursday’s economic update by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty failed to provide a stimulus package for Canadians. Since then, the Liberals had been in negotiations to form a coalition with the NDP, planning to oust the Conservatives in a confidence vote.
During question period in the House of Commons on Monday, Dion challenged Harper to allow his government to face a vote.
“Does the prime minister still believe that he enjoys the confidence of this House?” Dion asked.
A fiery Harper, in turn, accused Dion of “playing the biggest political game in Canadian history,” saying the Liberal leader would recklessly attempt to govern the country amid a global economic crisis under threat of veto by “socialists and separatists.”
Dion reminded the House that in 2004, in a letter to the Governor General, Harper — then-opposition leader — proposed that he be allowed to form a government if Paul Martin’s Liberal minority government were to fall.
NDP would hold 25% of cabinet spots
Earlier Monday, former NDP leader Ed Broadbent, who took part in the talks, told reporters that “a very constructive, positive agreement has been reached between the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party that will bring stimulus to the economy, which is badly needed.”
“There are going to be a lot of jobs, a protection of pensions and I think we can look forward to a very constructive period,” he told reporters, saying the deal included aid for the suffering auto and forestry sectors.
The Canadian Press reported a source saying mid-Monday that the parties had agreed to present a $30-billion stimulus package that would offer substantial aid to the troubled auto and forestry industries.
The source said the deal also calls for the formation of an economic advisory panel of experts that would include Paul Martin, John Manley, Frank McKenna and Roy Romanow.
Details of the agreement were fleshed out Sunday night.
PM ‘has no one to blame but himself: Rae
If the prime minister moved to prorogue Parliament, the Conservative government could not be defeated in the current session of the House. But Harper would also need the approval of the Governor General to do that.
But Rae said a move to prorogue would lack legitimacy, as it would clearly be to avoid a vote of confidence.
“Mr. Harper has no one to blame but himself for the fact that he’s not been able to gain the confidence of the majority of the House,” he told the CBC’s senior parliamentary editor, Don Newman.
On Sunday, Flaherty said the government would deliver the budget on Jan. 27, about a month before one would normally be tabled in the House.
Shortly after Flaherty’s announcement, Transport Minister John Baird said the minority government wouldn’t try to eliminate federal civil servants’ right to strike over the next couple of years, as pledged in last week’s economic update.
On Saturday, Baird also announced the government had shelved its contentious plan to eliminate political party subsidies that are based on the number of votes received during elections.
With files from the Canadian Press and Reuters
