Coalition revelation sparks storm DOMINIQUE LA HAYE; BUREAU, PARLIAMENTARY . The Edmonton Sun ; Edmonton [Edmonton]. 07 Oct 2010: 43. ProQuest document link FULL TEXT Conservative MPs gleefully attacked their political opponents after new revelations emerged in a book by Gilles Duceppe, who claimed he was in early coalition talks with the NDP and Liberals. The Bloc Quebecois leader revealed in the newly-published book that NDP Leader Jack Layton approached him just days after the 2008 election to propose a coalition. "The first one to talk about a coalition was Jack Layton, 10 days after the election, in my office in Montreal," Duceppe told reporters Wednesday. Duceppe said he then contacted former Liberal leader Stephane Dion and Layton to say he supported the plan and to organize a team of negotiators. In the House of Commons on Wednesday, Conservative MPs repeatedly bashed the opposition parties for getting into bed with the Bloc. BOOK "In a book released this week, the leader of the Bloc congratulates himself not only on being the 'driving force' behind the coalition, but also for secretly scheming with the NDP on its creation before it was sprung on a shocked nation," said Tory MP Gerald Keddy. "The Bloc leader also makes clear that his party is a full participant in the coalition. "In fact, not only is the Bloc a full coalition partner with the Liberals and the NDP, it was, and continues to be, at its very heart." Duceppe was careful to remind reporters Prime Minister Stephen Harper approached him and the NDP in 2004 with his own offer to form a coalition Conservative government when the Liberals were in a minority under Paul Martin. "Stephen Harper should read the letter he wrote with me and signed, asking the then governor general Adrienne Clarkson to replace Paul Martin if he was to lose confidence in the House," Duceppe said, adding he was still open to coalition offers from any party. "If it is good for Quebec, I support it, if not, I oppose it," he said. CREDIT: DOMINIQUE LA HAYE, PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU PDF GENERATED BY PROQUEST.COM Page 1 of 3 DETAILS LINKS Subject: Prime ministers Location: Montreal Quebec Canada; Quebec Canada People: Dion, Stephane; Harper, Stephen; Duceppe, Gilles; Layton, Jack Company / organization: Name: Bloc Quebecois; NAICS: 813940 Identifier / keyword: conservative; gleefully; opponents; political; revelations Publication title: The Edmonton Sun; Edmonton First page: 43 Publication year: 2010 Publication date: Oct 7, 2010 Dateline: OTTAWA Section: News Publisher: Postmedia Network Inc. Place of publication: Edmonton Country of publication: Canada, Edmonton Publication subject: General Interest Periodicals--Canada Source type: Newspaper Language of publication: English Document type: News ProQuest document ID: 2224849876 Document URL: https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/coalition-revelation-sparks- storm/docview/2224849876/se-2?accountid=5705 Copyright: Copyright Postmedia Network Inc. Oct 7, 2010 Last updated: 2019-05-15 Database: Canadian Newsstream PDF GENERATED BY PROQUEST.COM Page 2 of 3 Database copyright 2022 ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions Contact ProQuest PDF GENERATED BY PROQUEST.COM Page 3 of 3