More partisanship


Dec 1 Update: The Liberals and the NDP have agreed to try to form a coalition with Stéphane Dion as Prime Minister, should the Conservative government fall next week. The NDP will get 25% of the cabinet seats.

Well, I wanted a coalition government, but I didn't have this one in mind.

Previous post:

It's come to this; Within the next two weeks Jack Layton may be Prime Minister of Canada.

The opposition parties are threatening to bring down the Conservative minority government. They say it's because there was no stimulus package in last week's financial statement. But really, they have declared war over the government's proposal to eliminate the public subsidy of political parties.

Much as I favour such a proposal in principle, it was dumb idea to suggest it as an austerity measure. In recent years a consensus has emerged in Canada that electoral reform should not be in the hands of politicians. Along with the demands for proportional representation or the single transferable vote, this idea should be debated by a constitutional assembly, one chosen at random from the electorate. And that assembly should send a recommendation to a national referendum.

Rather than simply adopting this procedure in a vote in the Commons, which they would win, the opposition introduced a non confidence motion, and hopes to convince the Governor General that they can form a coalition government.

But the official opposition, the Liberal party, has a lame duck leader and will not choose his replacement for many months. The party is so much in debt it cannot afford to provoke another election. And many within the party are horrified at the thought of Dion coming back from the dead. So don't be surprised if they enter into an agreement with the NDP, making Layton a caretaker PM until they get their house in order.

On the other hand, there are rumours the current PM is going to ask the GC to prorogue Parliament until the new year, giving him and his ministers time to make amends and come up with an economic plan that will work in concert with our customers to the south. A retreat of one kind or another is certainly in order.

Update: The budget date has been moved up to the end of January, but Ignatieff says he's heard nothing from the Finance Minister "that backs us off this ledge."

Embarrassing isn't it, especially for those of us who like to criticize the Americans. Bush and Obama seem to be handling their transition with poise and good will.

Posted: Sun - November 30, 2008 at 04:14 PM          

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