We now have a two party system in Canada
People complain that Canadian politics is not exciting. Today, like when the PC and Alliance parties decided to unite is a game changing moment in Canadian political history regardless of the outcome of these coalition talks. While I do not expect that we will see NDP, BQ, Green and Liberal candidates decide not to run against each other in the next election; the game has fundamentally changed just by what we now know from talks that have taken place between the opposition parties.
1. Jean Chretien and Ed Broadbent are in negotiations to build an NDP/Liberal coalition that will need the support of the Bloc Quebecois.
2. By engaging in these talks at the highest levels (Dion, Layton) it is clear that both leaders agree they share a common agenda. Both are comfortable either bringing the Bloc Quebecois (a party that supports breaking up our country) into the Canadian government or allowing Duceppe to extort the government in order to maintain support on confidence matters.
3. For at least some MPs it is OK overthrowing the will of the Canadian voters and installing a Prime Minister who is not even elected by the grassroots members within his party. I am not sure if this coalition will happen, but I do know that all day Dion's caucus has been planning to get rid of him and broadcasting it to the media. How can he now lead regardless of what happens in the next couple of weeks.
4, The Liberals and Greens already had an alliance during the election and Dion even got Elizabeth May's endorsement.
5. Right now the only common agenda known among this potential coalition government is that they are united in wanting their subsidies, they want to go on a spending spree and call it a stimulus, they oppose Harper and every policy decision he makes, they want power, and they all financially cannot afford to fight an election right now.
With regards to these meetings, what is going on is not transparent. Grassroots members concerns are not taken into account. Most MPs are out of the loop and have no say. We have no idea what is being promised in these negotiations. Media do not have access. Do these arguments sound familiar? Wasn't this all initially about Harper using a budget bill to interfere with democracy? Liberals putting together a coup with socialists and separatists is what is best for Canadians according to the opposition. Brokering an alliance one week into parliament to seize power is what is needed to protect Canadian democracy?
I am not sure if it is Stephen Harper or just simply the fact there is one party on the center-right and 4 on the left; but it is clear this minority government is not going to work. Stephen Harper and the Conservatives cannot work with the opposition parties and get anything done despite this recession or potential depression. While a coalition between the Bloc-NDP-Liberals may last in the short term, rival demands will make it complicated to stick together. The only possibility of a long term coalition is if Prime Minister Dion's approval ratings are beyond low, all parties remain broke and the worsening economic situation drives up Conservative numbers. This will unite the opposition for no other purpose than to avoid the people through an election and to keep power away from the Conservatives. The West who just got in will be locked out again thanks to a backroom deal between the Liberal Party of Toronto backed by the Separatist party from Quebec. That is not in the best interest of Canadians and I do not see how this whole situation is good for unity.
It is unfortunate, but we probably need an election despite the cost and timing. Canadians have to choose between giving Conservatives a majority government to deal with the economy or otherwise provide a mandate to this madness with the left wing coalition. Conservatives won the election and we cannot maintain power let alone get any legislation passed as is evident today. The left is united and no longer have credibility attacking each other. Let us decide based on the new two party system of Conservatives vs. the Green Liberal Socialist Separatist Party. Regrettably if Canadians want their government to get anything done for them it will require an election and a majority. Regardless of if this coalition forms and regardless of how long this parliament lasts it is quite clear that nothing will get accomplished because of partisanship from all sides of the House unless attitudes change in a hurry. The Governor General should not delay the inevitable and simply allow this government to go to the people once it is defeated rather than play these games. Any other solution at this point is just lost time and wasted taxpayer dollars with no action on the economy or any other issue of the day.
Based on the events of today, everything has changed and this parliament simply cannot function any longer. The sooner there is an election the better. The left might as well unite under one banner as irreversibly each of their individual brands no longer have credibility in Ottawa. While the day was exicting, regular Canadians are the big loser today after all of this political positioning. Shame on all politicians for that.
-Darryl
