-- OTTAWA -- Liberal attempts to ignite muffled anti-abortion sentiment on Conservative benches and foster doubts about the social policies of Prime Minister Stephen Harper have been foiled from within.That's gonna leave a mark.
A motion by Liberal MP Bob Rae... was defeated by a vote of 144-138 yesterday when three Liberal MPs – all long-time opponents of abortion – voted against it.
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UPDATE: ICEBERG... DEAD AHEAD!!!
Oh no, Michael... you lose Jane Taber... the ship is truly sinking...
It was a gong show last night in the Commons for Michael Ignatieff and his Liberals; one Liberal MP is even calling it “clown city.”**********
First, the Liberal motion on the Harper government’s maternal health initiative, aimed at stirring up the Tory bench over reproductive issues, such as abortion, failed. The Grits lost the vote after three of their own MPs opposed it; others abstained and some Liberal MPs, who are pro-life, were told to stay away from the Commons, according to sources.
And so confused were the Liberals after losing their own motion that on the following vote, Chief Opposition Whip Rodger Cuzner mistakenly told some of his MPs to vote with the government. They ended up supporting the Conservatives’ spending plans, which led to much glee and gloating from the government bench.
FROM THE COMMENTS:
"I haven't been able to get on the Liblogs site for two hours now. I think with all the scrambling over there they might have broken something. :DThe spirit of Stephane Dion lives on.