The opposition parties are calling it democratic and saying the Prime Minister has lost the confidence of the house. While the government is saying the opposition is effectively giving the balance of power over to separatists.
This opposition coalition is part of the beauty and horror of our constitution. In a way the 'majority' will be heard because more people did vote for these MPs as a whole than voted for the Conservatives. But it's also disturbing that a separatist party like the Bloc Quebecois will hold so much power (the power to have their demands met or topple the government) or that a leader can be hoisted to the position of Prime Minister without a general vote.
It's a legal coup and I didn't think I would ever see one in my lifetime. My take is that it's an unjustified power grab and we need to trash the way our electoral system works.
The subject is ridiculously complicated and I haven't done it justice but I look forward to your comments.
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From diapers to powder kegs, eh? ;)
ReplyDeleteYou know where I stand on this. This is our system in Canada, like it or not. It's not "illegal", it's not "undemocratic" and it's not "unprecendented", regardless of what you read in the National Post. There were some great features on The National last night that explained the truths and fallacies surrounding this issue. I wish everyone had seen it so that they could see through some of the misdirection and outlandish falsehoods that are likely to come out of Stephen Harper's mouth when he addresses the nation on tv (if his current rhetoric is any indication).
This is not an ideal situation. This is no doubt a tempting power grab by the opposition parties and it could backfire large. But if the alternative is the arrogant, irresponsible and, yes, undemocratic (essentially bankrupting the opposition) position of the current government, then I'm all for a change.
The problem here is the system allows for so many parties which of course will split the vote (Italy, anyone?). I'm convinced the Canadian population is more left leaning than right, but since there's only one right-wing party they're able to secure the most seats. Is the answer to cull the leftist herd? I don't know. Seems undemocratic to me. The alternative is proportional representation and the coalitions that stem from it (again, Italy). But coalitions collapse which can lead to endless elections. Who wants that?
One of the first and most useful things I learned in PoliSci was to recognize the difference between "rule" and "convention". By convention, the minority Conservatives would govern, but the rule is that the group that holds the confidence of the House will.
The fear-mongering that's going on surrounding the Bloc is a bit much (especially since the Conservatives have relied on the "separatists" in the past!). Do people really think the Liberals and NDP will allow the Bloc to call any shots that are in any way damaging or excessive? These people still have to face a nation in an election eventually. They're not going to sell their souls to "separatists". Let's keep in mind, too, that these "separatists" were elected in the same way the Conservatives were: riding by riding, and with a share of seats that does not reflect their share of the popular vote. But again, that's our system. Love it or change it.
I'm not 100% sure of the etymology, but "coup" as in "coup d'etat" typically is used to refer to illegal or unconstitutional take-overs, usually by force. That clearly doesn't apply here, and while it's convenient language, it only helps drive the fear-mongering thanks to its natural negative association. If this change in government were not built into the system we wouldn't be talking about it. To use a sports analogy: it appears the Conservatives underestimated the opposition's willingness to use the WHOLE rulebook. Whose fault is that?
If you're curious to see one pro-coalition standpoint of the electoral system, check out this video: http://progressivecoalition.ca/
I make an effort to vote, but that's about as political as I get...does that make me a bad person? ;)
ReplyDeleteWho cares if it's legal? The government is legally capable of making loads of ethically dubious moves. The Bloc Quebecois are more then just a party which has been successful due to regional support; they only run in Quebec, they've made it clear they're not concerned with Canadian interests, and they've also made it clear that separation is their ultimate goal. Personally, I think there's something wrong with a party which does not care about Canada being the basis for the government. Stephen Harper is right to not rely on them as a swing vote.
ReplyDeleteThat said I'm all for La Quebec Libre.
Also, who cares if this is Steven Haper's fault? The opposition parties are forces of reason not nature. They're capable of making their own decisions and they've decided, in the interests of Canada, they're going to make Stephan Dion Prime Minister when he's failed spectacularly at leading the party. Not a power grab?