Wow, what an “interesting” last seven days we have gone through. I’ve talked to quite a few people about the coalition, the effect on Canada’s future it would have and how Stephen Harper has been handling this situation and as more and more information comes out it gets even more interesting.
So just to recap, Prime Minister Harper threatened to pass some new laws that reduced funding to all the parties. The Liberals were already in financial meltdown (makes you excited at the prospect of them controlling the federal pocketbook doesn’t it!) due to how they managed money, and this could have really sunk them. The NDP weren’t as desperate as the Liberals were, but still needed the extra money they would normally receive. Possibly this big issue helped start the formation of the current coalition.
We have also found out that Jack Layton may have been working on forming a coalition from the day he didn’t win the election. He had been busy talking in the background to people to see what he could create to topple Harper. So through outright bribes, concessions and by representing themselves as looking out for the Canadian people, the Liberals, the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois have formed a new government coalition in an attempt to wrestle power from the minority government Conservatives.
Just to explain the bribes and concessions, as part of the agreement the Liberals and the NDP’s were going to provide Quebec with an additional $1 billion dollars of equalization payments (how is that equalization?) along with special veto powers (so the Bloc could prevent anything harmful to their status) along with giving them several seats in the government. The former Bloc leader Jacques Parizeau actually congratulated Duceppe for prying enough concessions out of the Liberals and NDP to agree to back them. To make this even better some Bloc members are stating this shows the Canadian federation is no longer functioning and provides more reason or them to separate. It would be perfect timing especially if they have the extra $1 billion!
I could rant on this for pages, which is why it’s taken me so long to post anything, so I need to get some points in before I lose people. One of Jack Layton’s key points if the coalition gains power is to shut down any future oil sands developments. Just to remind people Alberta sends to Ottawa $8 billion more than it gets, mostly driven by the oil sands, see a problem? With the extra $1 billion Quebec gets, we need to send even more! Canada’s economic growth over the last few years has been off of Western Canada’s resource based economies, why would you shut that down if you are trying to avert an economic crisis?
Although technically the Bloc Quebecois is not going to be a member of the coalition, they are only going to vote with them; doesn’t that make them a member? If the coalition’s intent is to save Canada from this economic crisis that Harper is apparently not addressing, why would you have a member dedicated to separating from Canada as a key member? The Bloc doesn’t give a damn about Canada, they are only worried about their concerns, this is also sounding a lot like the coalition, so maybe they should be in bed together?
What exactly should Harper do to stimulate the economy? Prior to the coalition Canada was the country rated to be the least affected out of any of the G7 countries by the world wide economic crisis. Now that the coalition has started up, we have seen the stock market freefall, our dollar sink lower and countries who originally intended on investing in Canada (the safe haven) looking elsewhere due to the turmoil. Harper is limited to what he can do at this point by what will happen in the US. If the US gives bailout money to the auto industry, does the Canadian industry deserve money? US auto sales from the Big 3 are down over 30%, but in Canada auto sales are off by only 10%. My sales are off by over 10%, where’s my bail out money?
One theory that has come up is Harper has pushed the buttons of the Liberals and the NDP intentionally, to force another election to come up in the spring. Now that the government is out of session until early 2009, perhaps it is only a matter of time before the NDP and the Liberals lambaste themselves so thoroughly with infighting, they would be both woefully unprepared for an election and their flaws become even more visible as they clamor for their individual party goals. All leading to the Conservatives coming out of this with the majority they need to move forward?
My apologies for the extended rant, but I had to get some of my thoughts off my chest. What do you think of all this? What are your thoughts about it? Is it good, bad, or are you one of the $10 million non-voters in the last election who aren’t allowed an opinion? I also understand this isn’t directly Real estate related, but it will have a real effect on Canada’s future which will affect Real Estate, so it should be of interest to anyone who reads this Newsletter. I don’t care if you disagree with my take, or agree, I just want to find out what you are thinking, so leave me a comment!
Here’s my take on the whole fiasco.
First, what Harper started and the opposition parties have completed (in spades) is make the minority gov’t non-functional. There is no way the BQ will work with Harper and he has alienated most if not all liberals. Mind you, he only needs 12 opposition MPs willing to work with him.
Now Bob Rae will not give up the fight. He has taken over as the lead man on the coalition. Ignatieff, meanwhile, is pretty quiet. He was the last one to sign the accord and is not near as aggressive to topple the government as other liberal leaders. Hmmm, do you think he’s thinking about the Liberal leadership race in 6 months? I think what Rae will do, in his attempt to bring down Harper, is give the Conservatives the majority they want. In spite of Harper’s alienating Quebec and opposition MPs, the conservatives are up 10% in the polls at 43% in majority territory. Most Canadians that were polled prefer another election as opposed to allowing the coalition to govern.
If my take on the GG’s response to this whole mess is correct, she seems to be in tune with the wishes of numberless Canadians who contacted her office. If Harper loses the confidence vote on the budget in January, I expect we will be going into an election and I believe the electorate will punish the opposition by voting conservative.
Due to the ambiton to increase or get power all political leaders share the blame for this political crisis. Harper, Dion, Rae, Layton and Duceppe, not to mention all the opposition MPs. Oh yeah, let’s not forget the meddling interference by Chretien and Broadbent who helped choreograph the opposition’s efforts.
If only our elected politicians spent half as much energy actually governing the country, Canada would be in a much better position to weather the global economic crisis.
I like the coalition gov’t. A lager portion of the people of Canada will have their voices heard. It also shows whoever leads the next minority, not to push thier political agenda, and to compromise with the other parties for support. A little give and get is better for everyone.
(Websters “the act of coalescing : UNION” ” a temporary alliance of distinct parties, persons, or states for joint action”)
So if Quebec is part of this coalition only for their own intrests, who’s to say that after the NDP money is in the bank, Harpers offers more money to vote for him, i can see where this is going. Sounds like my childern fighting for toys, and they need to have a spank.
Under the definition stated, the “persons” had their say in the last federial election, and the vote said PC minority government. Sounds clear to me Mr Jack didn’t like the way the people voted, and he has shown his true colours. Mr Jack’s only concern to have power at the cost of the people and my right to choose. The way i see it Mr Jack is a very selfish person, Mr Jack should have done his job, as the voters elected him to do. Use his voice in parliment and OPENLY work with the other parties to keep the PC minority government in check, had Mr Jack done this it might be a valid way to aquire valid votes.
I’ll take the spring election and use my say to vote for the green party, or the independents, or any party that wants western seperation
I’m pretty opposed to the coalition idea. Although as Tyrone pointed out a larger portion of the Canadian voices may be heard, the reality of it would be only Eastern voices would be heard which is not good for Canada.
You look at Dion and he ran his party to the worst defeat ever, and they would put him in charge? A party is considerably easier to lead than a country, what would it be like in Canada after six months?
The Bloc are looking out for themselves huge and do not care about the West and Layton appears to be more power hungry than anything which is not what you are looking for in an ideal leader.
A coalition government would have led to more crisis across the country than we have ever seen and lead us to places where Canada could take years to recover if it didn’t lead to massive outrage and separation talks like you have never seen before. And I am not talking just Quebec, but it would likely push Alberta, Saskatchewan and even potentially BC out due to lack of representation.