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

Well may they say 'God Save the Queen...'

[17catherines.livejournal.com]

So... is your Governor General allowed to sack the Prime Minister if she wants to? Not that I would normally advocate such a move of course, but still...?

Sorry, all this makes me feel very Aussie, especially since I just saw 'Keating! The Musical' this week, featuring the ghost of Gough Whitlam.

Catherine

Re: Well may they say 'God Save the Queen...'

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

is your Governor General allowed to sack the Prime Minister if she wants to?

Yes, though we generally call it "calling an election".

all this makes me feel very Aussie

You mean, because it's different there? Or because it's the same - ? Ah. I just looked up the Gough Whitlam: "only Australian Prime Minister to have been dismissed by the Governor-General, using reserve powers."

Oh yes, it has a familiar ring.

Re: Well may they say 'God Save the Queen...'

[17catherines.livejournal.com]

I'm a bit young to remember it (the Dismissal happened the year before I was born), but I gather Australia has never been so close to civil war / revolution. Probably the most famous moment in our political history. I'm pretty sure the law has since been changed so that the GG can't do that any more.

Does your GG actually have the power to independently decide it's election time, or is this more a nominal power?

(Whitlam's actual words, incidentally, were "Well may we say "God Save the Queen", because nothing will save the Governor General". He also referred to the GG as "Kerr's Cur". Nice way with words there...)

Re: Well may they say 'God Save the Queen...'

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Does your GG actually have the power to independently decide it's election time, or is this more a nominal power?

I think it's more nominal... But I'm not entirely sure. I don' think it's ever really been put to the test.

Whitlam's actual words, incidentally, were "Well may we say "God Save the Queen", because nothing will save the Governor General".

LOL.