Liberal Caucus backs Dion

This is great news for the Liberal Party of Canada, it shows that Michael, Bob and Dominic are supporting Stephane Dion, and they are united "tous Ensemble" together. It was dissapointing and disheartening to hear various people believe the articles planted in the National Post about Michael Ignatieff. It is safe to say that Michael is supporting this 100% and his loyalties are not in question.

From CTV newsnet


Mike DuffyNewsNet closed captioning>> Scott: We're going to go back to ottawa, where ctv's mike duffy hassome updated information on the drama that's swirling in ottawa rightnow. Mike, what do you have?>> Mike: Well, I've just had a word from across the street at theliberal caucus, which is still underway, but it's about to break up.Stephane dion met with bob rae, michael ignatieff and dominic leblancthis morning. He showed them the terms of the deal that he, mr. Dion'sstaff and he had been working on with the ndp. They agreed that theterms were good and they went to the liberal caucus, where they -- weare told unanimously said that they support mr. Dion in being the leaderand in this deal going ahead he will be the prime minister on an interimbasis until the liberal convention in vancouver in may and that they'regoing to write a letter to the governor-general telling her that theopposition parties no longer have confidence in the government and thatthey've all agreed that stephane dion is the man and that there areterms of an arrangement that would guarantee political stability overthe next two and a half years. Liberal-ndp coalition with the bloc onthe outside but offering their support for a period of 30 months so thatthe new government can get into place. Just repeating that, the threeliberal leadership contenders met, stephane dion this morning, saw andwe are told approved of the terms of the arrangement with the ndp. Theythen took that message to the liberal caucus, which will break anyminute now, but undoubtedly, that will be the word coming out, the nextstep is to send the message to the fwochb governor-general who isoverseas but essentially it all turns on the opposition partiesdefeating the government on the vote a week from today.>> Scott: Mike, does this handcuff the liberal leadership liberalleadership candidates in any way is this>> Mike: We're not clear. Obviously the liberal leadership race will goahead. We are not clear whether or not members -- whether mr. Dion andmr. Ignatieff and mr. Leblanc will have roles as cabinet machinesministers or whether they will be free to campaign. I think the viewearly this morning was that mr. Rae thought you could goeth. I think mr.Ignatieff had a slightly different view, ie, that it would be better notto be in cabinet, so they would be free full-time to cross the countryand meet liberal detle. So that part isn't clear yet, scott, but as soonas they come out I'm sure we'll get an answer to that question as well.Liberal caucus just about to wrap up but as i say, the interim dealapproved by the three leadership candidates -- and they've brought theirendorsation of stephane dion as the new prime minister of canada to theliberal caucus meeting now underway.>> Scott: Now, mike, i know things are rapidly developing here but whatdoes this do internally with the tories?>> Mike: Well, it's not clear what the tories can do to fight back. Theycan make their own representations to the governor-general, but this isirregular. It certainly is irregular. I don't think that it'sunconstitutional. It's foreseen in the rules, if a government loses theconfidence of the house, that the governor-general could call on anotherperson. I think the tories will be attempting to portray this assomething that started not as a result of anything that they did but asa result of the outcome of the last election, because you'll remember onthe weekend, I think it was, we had thomas mulcair telling reportersthat they had discussions with the ndp beginning two or three days afterthe last election, long before parliament resumed, long before theeconomic update was on the table. I'm not sure that much turns on this,but that undoubtedly, i think, will be one of the arguments the torieswill put forward, is that this is not as much an attempt to show a lackof confidence in the government as it is to subvert -- this will be thetory argument -- subvert the will of the people who spoke in the federalgeneral election.>> Scott: Absolutely the best soap opera on television right here on ctvnewsnet, mike. Thanks very much.