All I Want For Christmas Is...A Coalition!

Excellent. The idea for a coalition is gaining steam across the country!

Here are some simple arguments: the parties involved in the coalition garnered 65% of the votes. Why should the Conservatives, a party which only gained 35% of the national, popular vote, feel entitled to run our country? 65% of us are unhappy with his government!

Some statements from today's National Post:

"It may be impossible to explain to a cynical public, but the essence of Harper's blunder is that he betrayed the trust of Parliament. After some initial posturing about co-operation, he reverted to his ruthless modus operandi, scheming to crush his opponents."
Cape Breton Post

Why did Harper, why did Harper, start off Parliament by introducing a budget that would cripple his political opposition? Cancelling public subsidies to political parties? Those public subsidies are the very lifeblood of our country's pluralistic, multi-party democracy! We are not Americans. Our parties don't need hundreds of millions to gain seats in the House. If that were the case, public office would be unattainable for 90% of the population. Public subsidies are essential to maintaining our multi-party system. BAD, BAD, move on his part. Is it any wonder, when faced with this threat of extinction (the Liberal Party is nearly bankrupt as it is), that the opposition parties might not band together to quash the bigger bully on the playground?

Peter Van Loan was on CTV earlier today, denouncing the "socialists, and separatists" who are going to take control of the country. What about when Harper tried to get into bed with the Bloc and NDP himself?

"Stephen Harper shows disdain and contempt for Canadians when he tries to fake outrage at opposition party attempts to work together to form a coalition government. Let us not forget the letter he signed on September 9, 2004 (along with Gilles Duceppe and Jack Layton), which urged then Governor General Adrien Clarkson to consult with the opposition parties should Paul Martin's Liberal government fall. Mr. Harper asked the Governor General to see if the opposition parties could form a government because they formed a majority in the House. It is this type of cynical, conniving and manipulative politics that might ultimately prove to be Harper's Achilles heel.
Trevor Hache, Ottawa (National Post)

Alas, Conservatives and their supporters constantly pull this double-talk out of the bag. It's okay for them to do it, but not other parties. Think back to when David Emerson was elected as a Liberal in Vancouver in 2006, yet crossed the floor at the invitation of Mr. Harper for a cabinet post. Think back to when Michel Fortier, an UNELECTED party member from Montreal, was given a Senate post by Harper. Why is it always wrong for the other parties to do these things but not for the high and mighty Conservatives?

As Bill Casey, a former Conservative MP, put it: "He [Harper] doesn't get you can only push people around for so long before they push back."

Or this, from the Truro Daily News:
"When Stephen Harper and the Conservatives won their minority this fall and were headed back to Parliament, they said it would be a kinder, gentler session, one of cooperation to help Canada through tough times. Apparently they didn't mean it...should all this come to pass, the Conservatives can blame it on their own hubris."

Or this from La Presse:
"Stephen Harper committed an unpardoned error in putting his partisan interests ahead of those of the country."

Or finally this, from the St. Albert Gazette:
"Playing brinkmanship politics during a global financial crisis, when Canadians are worrying about their jobs and pensions, should cost Stephen Harper his job...Harper's actions are more about playing confrontation politics."

Thus Mr. Harper was beat at his own game. Why, why, did he attempt to cripple his opponents in such a Machiavellian fashion? He only has himself to blame.

Now as for the "separatists running the country" point that critics of the coalition bring up, I must report that:
-Duceppe has agreed to set aside Quebec sovereignty arguments for 18 months and work with this coalition;
-Jean-Claude Rivest, an independent Senator said: "there will be no threats or attempts by the Bloc to take the Canadian government hostage [with this coalition]...that's rubbish...the Conservatives will riase that point but it's really not serious."

Now, the "undemocratic" argument, that this coalition is somehow some "dirty", "backroom" deal:
-No. This is not illegal. Everything that the opposition parties are doing is legal and constitutional.
-Onyl 37 percent of Canadians voted Conservative; 63 percent voted for one of the other three parties. Are not the majority of Canadians now going to have their interests served? For example, only 54 percent of Saskatchewan voters cast their ballots for the Conservatives. That means that nearly 50 percent of Saskatchewan residents voted for someone else. The Conservatives DO NOT represent "the will of Canadians" as the Harper war room has been trumpeting.

Mr. Harper made another blunder by alienating the unions! The unions! As much as I may disagree with some of the tactics/powers unions employ and enjoy, you don't come out and say that! He went after the Public Service Alliance of Canada! Not allowing strikes and handing them only a minimal wage increase over the next 3 years. Totally fair perhaps, even to myself, but you don't actually say that! Now he's got 200,000 angry PSAC members. Add to that the Canadian Labour Congress and Harper's got some big opponents.

I'll sign off with a clip from Elizabeth May:

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/constitutional-chaos/#clip117846

p.s. The dinner table at my girlfriend's family's is going to be a warzone this Christmas.