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Edward Greenspon: Hello, I'm Ed Greenspon, Editor and Chief of The Globe and Mail. Welcome to the Globe Round Table. The place to come to try to decipher the goings on in Canadian politics.
We gather as the political waters are moving faster that at any time in recent memory. Even veterans are frantically paddling to keep up. Jeffrey Simpson, The Globes redoubtable national affairs columnists has admitted on globeandmail.com he is shocked and he doesn't shock easily.
The coalition government in waiting has apparently sought the council of four so-called wise men. One of whom happens to be a member of our round table. In fact his listeners will know all of our round table participants; fit easily into the category of wise people. A shocked and in some cases appalled nation turns to them for council.
Unfortunately Doug MacArthur cannot join us today but Jodi White, President of Public Policy Forum, a non-partisan think tank based in Ottawa and a former Chief of Staff to Joe Clarke and Kim Campbell is here.
John Manley, Senior Council at the law firm of McCarthy, Tetro and Canada's former Minister of Industry, Finance, Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister and now officially a wise man.
Welcome to you both.
Jodi White: Hi Ed.
John Manley: Hi Ed.
Edward Greenspon: Hello John. Hello Jodi. This is very interesting times.
John Manley: Now I don't know how official my wisdom is. I'm not quite sure who verifies wisdom in the first place anyway but I have to tell you that I have not — I haven't agreed to do anything despite the story and photos in your newspaper on Tuesday.
Edward Greenspon: Interesting and elsewhere. The senior statesman of which you have said to be one, agree to serve on a blue ribbon panel as economic advisors. You're saying that no such agreement?
John Manley: I've heard about this but I haven't agreed to do anything and I have, quite frankly no idea what the role of this panel would be intended to be, who it would advise, under what circumstances, how it relates to the different ministries and whether the putative Prime Minister, Mr. Dion actually wants it and would welcome and use the advice.
Jodi White: It may speak to how this coalition appears to be being put together because it has obviously been very, very fast. Too fast in many ways and no doubt a lot of gaps in what has been talked about and what is planned and who's talked to whom. I think this maybe an example of some of the problems that are probably not all evident to us at the moment.
Edward Greenspon: Okay, well let's leave the wise man, the official wise man title out of this for now then and we'll just go back.
John Manley: You can continue referring to me as a wise man if you wish.
Edward Greenspon: Indeed we will John. Indeed we will. Okay wise man, how is this thing going to play itself out? First of all let's start; will the government be defeated and if so, when do you think that will happen?
John Manley: I think it's very hard now for everybody to climb down from the positions they've got themselves into. We'll see what MPs hear from their constituents when they go home over the course of the weekend. Personally I have some question about what makes sense in the bubble here in Ottawa, is going to make sense out in the real world. Out where people are worrying themselves sick about the economy.
It may cause everybody to rethink their positions. I don't know how the opposition leaders could climb down from where they are right now. I think unless the Governor-General agrees to a prorogation, I think you'll see a vote on Monday which government will lose.
Edward Greenspon: We'll go to the Governor-General in a moment but Jodi, do you see at this point the government being defeated?
