Editing Jack Layton (section)

====Coalition attempt with the Bloc Québécois and the Conservatives====
On March 26, 2011, in response to Harper's allegations that a coalition is not a legitimate or principled way to form government, Duceppe stated that Harper had once tried to form a [[coalition government]] with the Bloc Québécois and NDP.<ref>{{cite news|last=Payton|first=Laura|title=Harper wanted 2004 coalition: Duceppe|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/harper-wanted-2004-coalition-duceppe-1.1118390|access-date=March 26, 2011|newspaper=[[CBC News]]|date=March 26, 2011}}</ref> In 2004 Stephen Harper privately met with [[Bloc Québécois]] leader [[Gilles Duceppe]] and Layton in a Montreal hotel. The meeting that took place between the three party leaders happened two months before the federal election.<ref name=gazetteCoalition/> On September 9, 2004, the three signed a letter addressed to then-[[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]] [[Adrienne Clarkson]], stating,
{{Blockquote|We respectfully point out that the opposition parties, who together constitute a majority in the House, have been in close consultation. We believe that, should a request for dissolution arise, this should give you cause, as constitutional practice has determined, to consult the opposition leaders and consider all of your options before exercising your constitutional authority.<ref name=gazetteCoalition>{{cite news|title=Harper, Layton, Duceppe sought 'co-opposition' in 2004 letter to GG |url=http://www.canada.com/news/Harper+Layton+Duceppe+sought+opposition+2004+letter/4511865/story.html#ixzz1Htw6yDVP |newspaper=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|Montreal Gazette]] |date=March 27, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110401200203/http://www.canada.com/news/Harper%2BLayton%2BDuceppe%2Bsought%2Bopposition%2B2004%2Bletter/4511865/story.html |archive-date=April 1, 2011 }}</ref>}}

On the same day the letter was written, the three party leaders held a joint press conference at which they expressed their intent to co-operate on changing parliamentary rules, and to request that the governor general consult with them before deciding to call an election.<ref name=Harpercoalition>{{cite news|last=Chung|first=Andrew|title=Bloc leader accuses Harper of lying about coalition|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/bloc-leader-accuses-harper-of-lying-about-coalition/article_cb3fc9b6-a13a-5add-a731-784edca4d4ad.html|access-date=March 27, 2011|newspaper=[[Toronto Star]]|date=March 26, 2011}}</ref> At the news conference, Harper said "It is the Parliament that's supposed to run the country, not just the largest party and the single leader of that party. That's a criticism I've had and that we've had and that most Canadians have had for a long, long time now so this is an opportunity to start to change that." However, at the time, Harper and the two other opposition leaders denied trying to form a [[coalition government]].<ref name=gazetteCoalition/> Harper said, "This is not a coalition, but this is a co-operative effort."<ref name=Harpercoalition/>

One month later, on October 4, [[Mike Duffy]], now a Conservative senator (appointed by Harper), said "It is possible that you could change prime minister without having an election", and that some Conservatives wanted Harper as prime minister. The next day Layton walked out on talks with Harper and Duceppe, accusing them of trying to replace [[Paul Martin]] with Harper as prime minister. Both Bloc and Conservative officials denied Layton's accusations.<ref name=gazetteCoalition/>