I'm not sure I agree with Morgen's assessment that it's a complete goner, just yet.
There are still the big guns to come out: Layton is holding a news conference on the topic tomorrow at 11 AM in the National Press Theatre, the Premiers are scheduled to meet next week, and the more influential business groups are only just starting to make their voices heard.
Until Harper emerges and personally reinforces the decision on camera, he's still leaving himself an out, in my view. He can fight on against some of those folks, but not all of them. The fact that he's been nowhere to be seen lately suggests to me that he's biding his time to see if the government can ride it out or not. Thus, continued and escalating pressure is more essential now then ever.
I would be concentrating on the Premiers very hard right now, especially Gordon Campbell; along with both the Premier and opposition leaders in New Brunswick, who are about to head into a September 27 provincial election.
Also, a letter signed by all the university presidents and Canada Research Chairs would be very worthwhile.
Alice
PunditsGuide.ca
Here's the media advisory for Layton's news conference ::
JULY 28, 2010
HARPER’S SILENCE ON CENSUS SHOWS LACK OF LEADERSHIP: LAYTON
OTTAWA –New Democrat Leader Jack Layton will be holding a press conference on Thursday to call on Prime Minister Harper to finally show leadership on the handling of the census debacle.
“Behind closed doors the Prime Minister made the decision to severely limit the way that the government can respond to the needs of Canadians,” said Layton.
“Trying to sneak this change through during summer isn’t the leadership Canadians are looking for.”
THURSDAY, JULY 29 OTTAWA
11:30 AM
Press Conference
National Press Theatre
150 Wellington
- 30 -
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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:38:23 -0400
From: Morgen Peers <
[hidden email]>
To:
[hidden email]
Subject: [CivicAccess-discuss] bigger and better things
Message-ID: <
[hidden email]>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=us-ascii
in one way or another the long form is dead. justification does not revive.
Tracey L. pointed out that we do not yet have bureaucratic infrastructure to support decentralised info aggregation.
If not, what would it look like in detail and how to have it emerge at the top as open, for I suspect it is the plan of the Tories to aggregate info creatively to them, but not further.
What does a progressive information regime look like?
I'm not suggesting we do Cabinet's work. But who will? :p
To start:
How do ground level agencies collect data and send it upward? Is there a roll for successive data clearinghouses up to StatsCan?
Morgen
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