Potentially ANOTHER change in Canadian government

[JFC]

Well, it's been a whole month and a half since Canadians went to the polls and re-elected a Conservative (minority) government under Stephen Harper. However, this particular government could have one of the shortest mandates in Canadian history.

The Liberal, New Democratic, and Bloc Québécois parties have been in not-so-secret discussions/negotiations over the past few days, and today emerged with the announcement that they've come up with an agreement that would lead to them joining forces and forming a coalition government. In this agreement, the Liberals (having won the most seats between the three parties) would take the lead, making party leader Stéphane Dion the next Canadian Prime Minister. Under this deal, the New Democrats would, for the first time in the history of Canadian federal politics, have Federal Cabinet ministers. The Bloc Québécois would stay in the background.

Globe and Mail Update and Canadian Press
December 1, 2008 at 2:02 PM EST

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion will be prime minister of an unprecedented coalition government if Parliament defeats the Conservatives next week.

Liberal MPs announced the decision after a caucus meeting to review plans for the coalition, which reportedly include a pledge to pump billions of dollars into the economy

The three opposition leaders are drafting a letter to Governor-General Michaëlle Jean in which they formally call on her to allow the formation of a coalition government if the Conservatives are defeated on a confidence motion Dec. 8.

Google News results - http://news.google.ca/news?hl=en&q=canada+coalition+government&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=news_group&resnum=1&ct=title
Info on Coalition Governments for anyone not familiar with the concept - http://www.mapleleafweb.com/features/coalition-governments-canada

[Asmodai]

Bleh. Everyone involved in this one all sides sucks.

[kuno_thunder]

I love this interview blip up, however I do understand Dion misunderstanding, although he SHOULDN'T have at all.  For a man whose job description includes being bilingual, he sure showed that his English isn't quite as good as his French.  He's just clearing the question up, lol.

[daigong]

I wanted to vote Bloc!! That guy is hilarious, Gilles Duseppe or however u spell that Poutine Lover's name.

[Chika-chan]

I hate Harper.

But I hope the idiots in da House can get stuff done for once, in a coalition government.

[maiZe]

I hate Harper.

OMG... I am so with you on that. I'm only now calming down from listening to Harper's national address from 7pm EST today... I could say more, but I'll leave it at that. -_-;

[THUNDERDUCK]

I need to learn more about our Northern Neighbor's government.

[maiZe]

THE GOVERNOR GENERAL FRIGGIN SUSPENDED PARLIAMENT!!!!!! WTF?!?

This is a joke. This entire political mess is a JOKE. One that I am not finding the slightest bit amusing... 

[JFC]

THE GOVERNOR GENERAL FRIGGIN SUSPENDED PARLIAMENT!!!!!! WTF?!?

This is a joke. This entire political mess is a JOKE. One that I am not finding the slightest bit amusing... 

Not entirely surprised at this. There was no real reason for her NOT to suspend (aka "prorogue") parliament at this time, seeing as how the confidence vote hasn't been done yet (if it HAD been done, and if the Conservatives had lost it, then it might be a different story).

It's still only a short-term solution for the Conservatives. Sure, when parliament resumes in January they'll be able to deliver their throne speech AND lay down their new budget at the same time, but it doesn't mean that they won't have to face a confidence vote (which they would have done this coming monday), nor does it mean that the Liberal/NDP/Bloc coalition has been completely stopped in it's attempt to remove the Conservatives from power. It's just been delayed, but they WILL have to face that confidence vote sooner or later.

[Asmodai]

It gives the Conservatives time to try to woo any Liberal MPs that don't want to work with the Bloc with Senate seats, cabinet posts, etc.

MUCH more importantly, it gives Canada a chance to see what Obama's plan is before doing something stupid. The NDP/Liberal/Bloc wanted to rush a stimulus package and aid to the automakers without seeing what the US did first. This at best would be ineffective, and at worst would be actively counter-productive (e.g. Canada gives GM $5 billion, the US Congress tells GM to suck eggs, the $5 billion goes to Citibank and GM's other non-Canadian creditors). Obama takes office on January 20, and will probably reveal his economic plan immediately. Parliament resumes with a matching Canadian budget a week later. Sounds good to me. Stephen Harper has already called Obama and told him that "he's like totally awesome and his BFF", so I expect the Conservatives will basically just copy what the US Democrats do.

We also avoid a Christmas election, which would have big problems for turnout in Northern Ontario, Quebec, the Territories and other places with less than ideal conditions.

This is probably the best outcome given the situation.