Compare and contrast.

1.

"It will look more like Ireland, more dynamic, more attractive to investors, brighter, more positive, outward looking." -Tory finance minister Jim Flaherty, asked by interviewer Diane Francis, "What do you think Canada will look like in five years if you win a majority?", Financial Post, May 23, 2006.

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Ireland forced to take EU and IMF bail-out package

Ireland has accepted an EU and IMF bail-out thought to be worth up to 77 billion pounds after emergency telephone conference talks. -headline, UK Daily Telegraph, Nov. 22, 2010.

 
2.

Harper suggests 'Belgian-style' federalism

CBC News | Last Updated: Wednesday, October 20, 2004 | 6:27 PM ET

Conservative MPs are defending an idea put forward by Stephen Harper to model the Canadian federation after Belgium, where federal authority is divided along linguistic lines.

The Conservative leader first floated the idea during a speech in Quebec last Friday. He said there are some areas where Ottawa could hand over some of its powers to linguistic groups, such as francophones or anglophones.

"By devolving authority, not solely to a province, but to have an arrangement based on linguistic groups that cross the country," he said.

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Belgium goes a year without government

(Euronews | April 22 2011) It has been a year today since Yves Leterme, Belgium’s caretaker prime minister abandoned his attempt to form a government but the country does not appear any closer to end its crisis. ...

Belgium’s political paralysis has now set a new world record and things could get worse with early elections scheduled in June. The Flemish nationalist leader Bart De Wever has signalled he is ready for a fresh round of talks with the Francophone socialist leader Elie Di Rupo.

 

 

Comments

[Wascally Wabbit]

And yet - the Teflon coating lasted for 5 years. Why?