Well.
Here we are, only 11 days away from election 2011, but with no real end in sight.
It appears all but certain that when we wake up the morning after the night before, we'll be suffering the same excruciating hangover we've been waking up with every morning since January 23, 2006, when the Harper minority government first came to power.
What does that look like?
It looks like continuing nausea of Gilles Duceppe.
It looks like the blinding headache (and forehead) of Jack Layton.
And it looks like the continued blurred vision of Michael Ignatieff.
Of course, hangovers don't just "happen". The require a healthy dose of over-indulgence. Too many Harper-pops.
What to do?
Well, here's a wild thought. Cut down on the Harper-pops.
Have the maturity to realize that YOU HAVE A MINORITY GOVERNMENT.
What does that mean? Well, it probably means not seeking to defund all of the other parties who hold 165 seats to your 143. It means, perhaps, showing a little less hubris in Parliament - and when other parties ask questions, being man enough to give honest and open answers.
If you don't want to fund some group who seeks to undermine a strong ally, stand up and just say so. Don't try and hide behind the lame and obvious bullshit argument that it was just a normal bureaucratic decision.
Will that happen the morning after the night before May 2, 2011?
I doubt it.
I would guess that Harper will form a minority government, again. And that Michael Ignatieff will wait in the wings for the thinnest of excuses to "rescue" Canada, and seek to have the Governor General allow him to form a government with the support (but not the "coalition") of the NDP and Bloc.
Here's a novel idea.
How about a loose Conservative/Liberal coalition?
Sure, we aren't getting rid of the gun registry, and the Liberals will not get their national daycare program - but one imagines that the basic stuff, the stuff of telling Gilles Duceppe that he can go screw himself and telling Jack Layton that he can take his shiny head and stuff it.. that stuff can go forward with some purpose.
The Canadian ship can be steered forward with the NDP and the Bloc left to sit in steerage - where they belong. And for a small "c" conservative - the idea of four years of a government that doesn't do anything more than they have already done.. I can live with that.
I'm sick of the hangover.
2 comments:
My analysis --- Anatomy of a Coup:
http://burpnrun.blogspot.com/2011/04/anatomy-of-coup.html
Interesting take - but I think it over-simplifies the problem.
If the PM ignores the need to secure the "confidence" of Parliament - he can't just sit back if it occurs again and say, "look what THEY did."
If he tables legislation he knows they will not support in a budget bill (say defunding political parties again) - he can't expect the Libs, NDP and Bloc to vote in support of it.
And if they don't - there are only three alternatives according to Parliamentary procedure:
a) Form a coalition with another party (presumeably the Libs);
b) Call an election;
c) Do neither - in which case, I believe that Parliamentary process would REQUIRE a proposal to the speaker by another party to take over government IF they hold the confidence of the majority of the house - a "coalition" if you will.
And if that happens - Harper will be no less responsible for the "coup" than they are.
Sometimes a good leader needs to understand where his flank is exposed and acts accordingly. Only a fool ignores his weakness and welcomes an attack there to "make a point".
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