Nice ad hominem–very well done.
That could look interesting.
I’m not saying that I actually think that three six-year-olds should be allowed to vote as a single person.
What I’m saying is that the idea of three political parties that alone were not found to be qualified to lead Canada will be able to work together, and that that’s the best way to go. If they agree so adamantly, why don’t they form a single party and win an election? That’s what the Conservatives did…
Coalition governments are nothing new. I had respect for Harper as a shrewd politician, but, it seems that he may have outsmarted himself this time.
Oh well, Harper can always be an opposition MP…heh-heh. Dion is probably measuring drapes for 24 Sussex Drive as we speak. 
Are the conservatives not just a colation of the progresive conservatives and the reform/alliance parties? I think your only arguing semantics.
Kind of like the retread Liberal party of BC (got them ol Socreds in there too). 
I know…I guess the uber right had nowhere else to go. I wonder if more people think that the prov liberals are right of the old social credit party or to the left?
[quote=“eccentric”]
I know that I’ll be bombarded by 20 people telling me that Germany is doing this, and Iceland is doing that–but this is Canada, and enough people voted for Harper that none of the other three took power from him. [/quote]
Enough people voted against Harper so that he would either have to cooperate and come to a consensus with the other parties, or face losing power. Looks like he’s chosen not to cooperate or come to any consensus.
It’s well within the parliamentary tradition to have a coalition government. It’s well within the Canadian parliamentary tradition as well. It’s happened informally and formally in the past. Pearson? Borden?
Harper himself has basically been running an informal coalition – how else was he getting the votes necessary to pass bills? Nobody was complaining about the NDP and the Bloc voting for his bills then, were they?
The probem Mig, is that the conservatives are not a political party but rather a cult of personality
They won an election as that combined, official political party. Again–why can’t the new and improved NDP-Bloc-Liberal coalition do the same?
I just find it rather funny that the man who was at the head of, perhaps, the very worst campaign of a major Canadian party will probably soon be Prime Minister.
Ah well–Canadians will have a chance to vote the Tories back in in a few years, and I’d be surprised to see another no confidence vote if the other three still can’t manage to get at least ONE of the three parties more seats than the Tories.
If this coalition goes ahead, I would not be surprised to see the knifes come out for Harper. He should be the one takeing the fall for this debacle. As well he was not even able to get a majority against " the man who was head of the very worst campaign of a major Canadian party" I mean if I was a torrie I certainy would have some tough questions for Harper.
sigh
Backroom politics have pretty much decided that our votes mean absolutely nothing. Lovely.
Thank you. Even if you’re not agreeing with me per se–that’s what I’m trying to get across. You just say it much better than I could. 
If the opposition is so sure that what Harper is doing is bad for Canadians, they should let Canadians confirm it via election. They want the power–they just know they’ll lose an election if one is called again.
Canada already confirmed this, they just couldn’t decide who they liked the most out of the rest of them.
I understand your frustration. But, remember that Harper was governing with the cooperation of the other parties. Canada decided that the Conservatives were not worthy of a majority government. Given that scenario one would think that Harper would have been a bit more cautious. The people spoke loud and clear in the last election.
Harper thought that he could behave as if he had a majority in place. He gambled and lost. Yes. If Dion is the next Prime Minister then Harper may be vulnerable to attacks from his own party.
P.S. Added later. Harper is at the mercy of the Governor General. We will know what his fate is if and when the coalition defeats the government. Interesting times indeed.
Canada decided that the Conservatives weren’t worthy of a majority–but they also strongly showed that they had even less faith in Dion, Layton, or Duceppe. The people spoke loud and clear last election: We might not want Harper to have free reign to do whatever–but out of all the leaders he’s the one most fit to lead Canada.
The proof’s in the pudding. A good leader doesn’t pull the stupidest move since Joe Clark and bring his party down in flames.
Harper has run the party like Il Duce, throttling his MPs tongues during the election campaign which worked well, but that carried over into Parliament itself.
In spite of the mantra that the coalition will need the support of the separatists to stay in power, no Tory mentions that so did they.
Harper seemed to forget he only had a minority.
The Bloc is more right than left, but would be insane to support their own funding being cut. Crazier yet to allow attacks on public sector unions and zero support for auto and forestry, its 3 best employers and tax base.
None of the other parties would tolerate campaign funding cuts.
Nor a 1980s “Mike Harris, Bill Bennett & Brian Mulroney” cut& slash approach to an economic slowdown.
100% blame on Harper and his leadership style.
The premise that the 3 other parties’ $30 billion dollar “baillout” is going to help save the economy is bullshit. We each pay a thousand bucks to “save” ourselves? 
And it all goes to the automotive and forestry sectors? What good will it do the automotive sector if the americans don’t step up first. Nothing. This is nothing but the three losing political parties looking after themselves and no-one else. The only thing at stake was the $30 million subsidy going from our pockets to the “political” parties coffers. 
They were going to take the trough away from the pigs and so they revolted under the guise of saving us. You support that? Yeah right. Can’t blame them you say? That’s what they’re hoping you say. 
Hey eccentric, Beanaround
We can debate this until we are blue in the face, but, I doubt we’ll agree on this issue, this is a thoroughly enjoyable discussion! 
The bottom line is that Harper made a serious misstep politically and there’s not too much that he can do now to correct his error in judgment. Political forces are swirling out of Harper’s control at the moment. I’m very curious to see what happens in the next several days.