The fajrdrako summary of recent Canadian political events...

[fajrdrako]

nina_ds asked me what was going on in Canada and I answered her, then decided to repost it here in case anyone else is curious. After all, it's not every day something happens in Canadian politics that is actually interesting. Sit-up-and-take-notice interesting.

Here's my quick-simple version of events, and remember that (a) I ignore political news as much as I possibly can, so I'm hardly an expert on any of it, and (b) I am not unbiased. It is, after all, the unfolding history of my country that's going on here. Commentary and correction from my more politcally-astute friends is welcome.

1. We had a federal election in October, possibly the most boring election ever held anywhere. The Conservatives ended up with enough seats in Parliament to from the Government, with their leader, Steven Harper, as Prime Minister. Again.
   
   
2. Steven Harper announced the new Budget last week. It was so stupid and useless that it was about to trigger a non-confidence motion in Parliament. Significant details: it didn't address the Recession, which is on everyone's mind, and Harper tried to cut funding to political parties.
   
   
3. Here's where the tricky and unusual bit comes. Usually a vote of non-confidence means a new election. But we just had a big, expensive (and did I mention boring?) election in October. So instead of that, the Liberals and the New Democratic Party decided to join together in what they called the Coalition. There are more Conservative seats in Parliament than either NDP or Liberal, but put the Liberals and the NDP together and they have a party with enough seats to hold power. The Bloc Quebecois (which is most of the remainder of Parliament) agreed to support this amalgamation.
   
   This move would topple Harper as PM and make Liberal Leader Stephane Dion the new Prime Minister.
   
   With me so far?
   
   
4. On Wednesday, the evening before this was going to happen, Harper appeared on television to beg the people of Canada to keep him as PM because, well, anything else was unCanadian. (He used the word 'illegal' and hinted at the word 'treasonous'.)
   
   
5. The next morning, Harper went to Governor-General Michaelle Jean and asked her to suspend Parliament - because if Parliament can't sit, they can't form the Coalition government and can't boot him out of power.
   
   
6. The Governor-General agreed to this and Parliament is prorogued, which is the technical word for the suspension. Parliament can now not sit until the end of January. Till then, we technically have a government in power, the Conservatives, but nobody can do anything.
   
   
7. Harper is now writing another, better Budget speech to present at the end of January, hoping it won't get him ousted.

Comments

[gillo]

That's roughly what I thought was happening. A major constitutional crisis, IOW, but one relying on inaction by the majority. I have to say that I do not approve of the actions of the G-G, but I can see she's in a tricky position. Harper appears to be a dickhead.

I'm assuming "Conservative" means somewhere to the right of Barack Obama, or at least in his vicinity? But adhering to Thatcherite monetarist values. Not fun, and this is not a moment to do nothing. Good luck with that.

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

In this case, the "Conservative" party has been swallowed by the Reform party, which is a group specifically adhering to neo-con or U.S. Republican Party values. An "Americanizing" slap in the face of Canadian politics is my take on it.

Unlike many people here, I used to vote for the Old Tory party. While it is run by neo-cons, I would not touch it with the proverbial barge pole. :-(

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

An "Americanizing" slap in the face of Canadian politics is my take on it.


I'd say that's a fair assessment.

I used to vote for the Old Tory party. While it is run by neo-cons, I would not touch it with the proverbial barge pole. :-(

Good judgement. I was horrified by the Conservatives back when I was a teen; now I look back and think how civilized they used to be.

[dewline.livejournal.com]

Even Mulroney, may the Divinities forgive me.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Even Mulroney

And isn't that a scary thought. He may have been a corrupt son of a bitch, but he looks good now in comparison.

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

Believe me, left-wing Americans are now looking back on Bush I and even Nixon as an improvement over W. Watergate and even Laos look positively restrained in comparison. I think it's doubly scary that more than one country is falling into that pattern.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

it's doubly scary that more than one country is falling into that pattern.

Amazing, isn't it? I don't think it's just rosy-coloured-glasses turned on our past. I think we... they... really do succeed in outdoing themselves as time goes by.

Some things are better, but there is a lot of strangeness going on.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

have to say that I do not approve of the actions of the G-G, but I can see she's in a tricky position.

Yes. I wondered why she chose as she did; my conclusion is that she judged it was the option most geared towards potential long-term stability for Canada. It isn't the choice I'd have made.

Harper appears to be a dickhead.

Well, I think so.

I'm assuming "Conservative" means somewhere to the right of Barack Obama, or at least in his vicinity?

I don't know Obama's policies well enough to judge. Usually "right" in Canadian political language means "moderate left" in American political language, but the current Conservatives are born out of the former Reform party, which was appallingly right-wing by any standard. In other words, our 'right' is shifting further to the right. While I shift ever further leftwards.

But adhering to Thatcherite monetarist values.

Yeah. I roll my eyes.

Not fun, and this is not a moment to do nothing. Good luck with that.

Thanks. I think we'll need it.