The Throne Speech: Dion and the caucus should throw down the gauntlet

Harper's shoe has finally dropped, after weeks of psychological warfare against Dion and the Liberals. He has used his bully tactics to push the envelope, threatening that all legislation he tables to give effect to the Throne Speech must be agreed to by the other parties if they pass they Throne Speech, and flying trial balloons which threatened a far right wing agenda.

And what did he deliver today?

A Throne Speech coated in honey, which many commentators will rush to label as "middle of the road."

Middle of the road, my foot.

Dion and the Liberal caucus have no choice but to vote against the Throne Speech, if they wish to maintain their integrity.

There are two main items which deserve rejection by a vote of non-confidence in the government.

Firstly, the promise to table legislation to restrict the right of the Federal government to spend money in areas of provincial jurisdiction. You can call this the Harper Firewall Law. What he once proposed Alberta do unilaterally, he now wishes to legislate into existence. It is consistent with his broad program of gutting the power of the central government of Canada, and balkanize Canada. It is consistent with his reluctance to support a national role for the central government, should MPs elected from all over the country decide that national programs are called for.

The key is that this Harper Firewall Law is designed to sucker-punch Dion. As always, with Harper you have to read the details, and think things through.

IF DION DOES NOT BRING THE GOVERNMENT DOWN, THIS LEGISLATION WILL PASS.

Why? Because the Bloc will give Harper the votes he needs.

So, for the Liberals to oppose this blatant attempt to reduce the powers of the central government, the vote against the Throne Speech is the only way to do this. Legislation passed by one parliament cannot bind another parliament, that it is true. So timorous Liberals can argue that a majority Liberal government could one day table legislation repealing, in whole or part, the Harper Firewall Law. But this ignores two things. Why would the Liberals not fight for the principal of a strong central power now, when they could prevent any such effort by Harper? And how would they be able to frame the issue in several years time, once the legislation has been in existence.

Right now, right here, Dion and his caucus can legitimately oppose the Harper Firewall Law, and frame the issue as a defence by the Liberal Party of a strong federal government. That is a winning issue in Canada, for most voters.

The second reason for voting down the Throne Speech is its rejection of the Kyoto Accord. Given Dion's clear statements that the environment is the major issue facing the world today, agreeing with Harper on this issue by voting for the Throne Speech would be a total reversal of Dion's views. This is the poison pill. And it attacks Dion at his strongest point: the environment. If the Liberals become the next government later this year after the election, the party can start implementing the steps necessary to meet our targets under the Kyoto Accord.

To agree with Harper's Throne Speech is to accept his view on our obligations - moral and other - under the Kyoto Accord. There is no honourable way to vote for the Throne Speech and maintain our position on Kyoto, and the significance of the environmental challenge facing our country and the world.

These two issues are matters of core principle for the Liberal Party, and drive us to vote against the government this week.

They also provide the Liberal Party with the two strongest issues it could use in an election against Harper and his Tories. They play to our strengths, and highlight Harper's weaknesses. They will win the election for us.

It is the time to act with principle and courage. Dion has ample measures of both. Have his caucus members equal measures?