849...Here Is Why There Won't Be An Election

For months I been saying privately what Mike De Souza writes about in today's Edmonton Sun.

What I have been saying is that there is not going to be an election because one in five Members of Parliament need to stay put until July of next year to qualify for their pensions. The amount of money at stake is not huge but it is hugeish, to wit, if the 74 affected members [36 Conservatives, 16 Bloc Quebecois MPs, 14 Liberals and eight New Democrats] stay put for another ten months or so they will qualify for a 25,000 dollar annual pension. If they don't and they go down, no pension.

New Democrat Nathan Cullen, who finds himself in the category of members with less than six years of experience, suggested the issue of pensions might be a concern for some of the older politicians. He added, however, that he doubts it is a major factor that could determine whether they try to force or prevent an election.

Interestingly Jack Layton is one of the MPs that needs to build time to get his pension. I would posit that his seat is a safe one but he has seven fellow Dips who also need to build time and at least one, Dennis Bevington from the Western Arctic, is looking at a tough fight to hold his seat and if he loses, no pension. This has to be weighing on his and many other MPs minds.

It all factors in.

WFDS

821...Dennis Bevington Got His Name On My Blog

In what has to be a highlight of his career, Dennis Bevington, whom you never heard of until this very second, has made The World Famous Dan Shields' blog.

For those of you who know Mr. Bevington, he needs no introduction. For those of you who don't know him, and I would think that includes everyone, he is the NDP MP for the Western Arctic.

Mr. Bevington is quoted this morning in the Hay City Hub [I told you that I read 'em all] as saying that Michael Ignatieff's remarks in Sudbury last week were "...irresponsible..." Mr. Bevington, who, by the way, like his leader Jack Layton, has a porn star moustache, goes on to say that if Stephen Harper is willing to make compromises his government will survive.

Let me translate all this bullsh't for you. Mr. Bevington has been an MP since 2006; he needs a few more years to get a pension. He has won the last two elections but not exactly by a landslide and he has no fall back plan, he needs this gig to feed himself. The last thing he needs is an election that he could very well lose.

That's it, that's all.

WFDS