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

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It seems like a breach of trust with the voters, which I guess is why it would be bad for an individual member's reputation.

Yes. Personally I think it's good when a Member of Parliament votes or acts according to his conscience, rather than along party lines - but I'm not big on parties and allegiances anyway. Since a lot of people vote according to party politics, it can undestandably be infuriating when the left-of-centre guy you voted for crosses the floor to right-of-centre in midstream. Or vice versa. And of course it isn't always done in good conscience; this sort of thing can have all sorts of motives of personal greed, power-plays, or dishonest strategy.

In this case, the parties (and individuals) aren't changing their policies or party affiliations, they're teaming up in the face of economic crisis. What are the implications of that? Anybody's guess. My hope is that it would empower them to do something practical - if allowed. And since it's the people and parties whom I like and support who are going for the coup - using the word with a certain frivolity here - I'm all in favour of it. If it were the shoe on the other foot? Probably not, because I don't trust Harper's Conservatives to do anything effective or positive at all.

I also like the idea that there is more than one way to form a government and to make democracy work.

it sounds like Steven Harper is acting like a child.

I think so, but I'm hardly likely to give his actions a positive interpretation at the best of times, simply because I know his politics. Inaction during crisis? Par for the course.