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We need stability, not political circus |
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Written by Lethbridge Herald
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Monday, 01 December 2008 |
Sometimes the shoe doesn’t fit so well when it’s on the other foot.
It was roughly four years ago when Stephen Harper, then sitting as leader of the Official Opposition, became chummy with NDP Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe and urged the Governor General at the time, Adrienne Clarkson, to keep an open mind about the possibility of a coalition government should the governing Liberals be toppled by a non-confidence vote.
Fast-forward to the present and suddenly the same option, with the leading roles reversed, has Harper up in arms over what he says would be an undemocratic and illegitimate coalition.
That’s because it’s now Harper wearing the target on his back as Liberal Leader Stephane Dion and Layton, with the backing of the Bloc Quebecois, are tossing around the threat of a coalition government in the face of last week’s controversial economic update.
The resulting shenanigans that have pushed the country to the brink of a constitutional crisis included further soap-opera drama including leaked tapes of caucus meetings and a call for an RCMP investigation.
The childish games are wearing thin on Canadians, including the premiers of several provinces who are urging the federal politicians to try to get along for the good of the country.
During the October federal election, voters showed they lacked sufficient confidence in Harper to grant him a majority with which to govern. But their faith in the other leaders was significantly less.
When voters chose Harper to be “hall monitor” in the House of Commons, it wasn’t so he could use his position of authority to bully the other kids in the class. But apparently he still hasn’t learned to play well with others.
The Conservatives, it would seem, haven’t picked up on the fact they were chosen to govern the country with a minority, and with a minority comes the responsibility to work with the other parties to build the support needed to keep government functioning.
With Canadian confidence already shaken by the economic tremours rumbling across the continent — Monday, the TSX had its worst day since the crash of 1987 — citizens would be much better served if the Tories tended to the business at hand instead of looking to kick the opposition while they’re down.
Now the opposition has chosen to kick back and might wind up kicking the Tories right out of government.
While none of the opposition leaders offer Canadians a feeling of confidence, either, coalition governments do manage to work in other countries. Perhaps it would work in Canada.
But what is really needed is a united front that demonstrates to Canadians and finicky financial markets that our government has the stability to guide the nation through an economic crisis.
Unfortunately there’s nothing in any of our leaders’ track records to show they have the capacity to think beyond their own partisan interests.
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