CANADIANS!! Stop the coalition!!

[CanadianWolverine]

What the...

The coalition is possibly the best thing that could happen to this country: Different parties working together in cooperation, rather than one ideology to rule them all. Calling this undemocratic is a slap in the face to the larger number of people who voted for members of parliament who are not Conservative - we have a voice too and wouldn't you know it, it is bigger than the Conservatives. Having the Bloq on side for The Coalition makes sense when you could consider it lets the members from Quebec feel a part of this country, rather than always pushed to the side (though in some respect, I think exclusively regional parties are not good for federal politics because I thought that is why we have provincial governments for - though a reformed elected senate based on representing regions federally would be a better solution IMHO) and even more sense strategically in making sure the Conservatives don't ally with them against The Coalition.

Telling Canadians to be opposed to this is ignorant at best and blatantly deceptive at worst.

But if you want to know what really chafes my hide with regards to politics, its not having a member of the Green party being part of parliament, to represent my desire for green tech (sustainable, safer homes - solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, hydro - improved methods of local agriculture - improved methods of supply transports for communities), clean water (and air and soil and food and ... well you get the idea), and a better future for my daughter.

 

[CanadianWolverine]

as me and my friend have dubbed it:

"Welcome to the dictatorship of Canada good sir".

Must ... resist... urge... to... fla...

Ahh, there it is. Relax, Wolvie, its just the same old, same old.

I for one hope we never actually have to go through an actual dictatorship, that you can continue being blissful in such comments.

 

[Good morning blues]

With the Bloc in that coalition, they might as well be.

...So somehow needing to negotiate all of their policy decisions between three parties means that they're now effectively autocrats?

Blah blah blah

Hey, my politics lie somewhere between the Liberals and the NDP. You're not going to change that, no matter what inventive names you come up with to refer to Layton and Dion. This arrangement makes me a happy man.

It was Harper that called the election early even when he was fully aware that it probably wouldn't change anything. It was also Harper who decided that he was going to try to destroy the finances of every other party while he was piloting a minority government. You don't try to destroy the finances of every other party and not expect retribution.

Also, your rage over the Bloc's involvement seems pretty strange to me. Do you know what changed to cause this situation? The Conservatives tried to take away a method of party financing that was important to every party but theirs. That pissed off the Bloc, who had been supporting the Conservative minority through the last couple of Parliaments. Why do you think Harper recognized Quebec as a "distinct nation within Canada"? It's because it was part of his negotiations to get the support of the Bloc. What has changed here is that Harper pissed off the Bloc, and now they're on the Liberal/NDP side.

 

[fluffylandmine]

I'm not Canadian and I cannot seem to understand your government other than: At any point you can be threatened by a change in government.

 

[LewsTherin]

I'm all for a coalition, why not get everybody in on running the country?

And it's perfectly legal, seeing as how the conservatives don't have a majority in the first place.

Hey, it'll be a breath of fresh air into our stagnating parliament, and those politicians will actually have to work

 

[Phantom2595]

I'm not Canadian and I cannot seem to understand your government other than: At any point you can be threatened by a change in government.

The way everything is going, I expect several elections in 2009.

Also , this might help you.http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2004/6/8/103220/5255

Although I already know all this stuff being born and living in Canada all my life.

 

[DirgeNovak]

I'm not Canadian and I cannot seem to understand your government other than: At any point you can be threatened by a change in government.

That's because we have a minority government now;

We have 4 major parties: Conservative, Liberal, NDP (New Democratic Party) and Bloc Québécois, and 308 electoral ridings (or territories, if you prefer). After an election, if the winning party has less than half of the ridings, it gets a minority government, which can be overthrown by the opposition parties (which have the majority). That's our case now.

 

[Limos]

So you're mad that two parties are joining together to oust another party that represents a minority of the country?

Since it's apparently a Conservative Minority I would fully support that action. As a rule Conservatives suck at everything and just screw everyone over.

 

[Pigeon_Grenade]

There Has been a coalition in the Government before, i dont see a Problem with partys working together and getting options from all over the table

 

[ieatlions]

Hurray for democracy ( cause this is what the coalition is) "
and i think Stephen Harper has the shortest government

 

[mhitman]

I dont really like dion, but i dont really like harper either... meh. Truth is this has happened before and it'll happen again

 

[Molikroth]

I'm confused as to why people are upset about this. The OP complained that a government he/she didn't vote for would be in power, but of course there are millions in Canada who didn't vote for its current government.

In before "majority".

 

[Random Argument Man]

Actually, it's the liberal and the NDP. The bloc only supports it.

Second, I pretty much want a coalition goverment. Harper prefers his line of party instead of whats best for Canada.

 

[implodingMan]

This whole event is being made even more complicated by the fact that people don't seem to understand how the Canadian system works. You don't elect a prime minister. You elect an MP. That is it. Those individual MPs can then come together and decide to form a government. If the majority of those MPs belong to an certain party, then that party is assured power.

However, if there is no majority party, then a party can only form a government with the consent of the rest of the MPs, who usually go along with it because they have no better options for the most part. However, if the individual MPs from other parties decide to form their own majority government, then that works as well.

Honestly, when I hear people say "I voted for Stephen Harper, he should be prime minister" I cringe. The office of the Prime Minister doesn't even exist in a written form, it is all based on traditions of, "well, thats the way we've always done it, so lets keep doing that". I can understand how confusing that can be to some people, and I don't blame them. A large amount of Canadian politics is based on unwritten traditions.

The legality of what they are doing isn't really the issue here. What matters is whether or not this coalition government is going to be good for the country or not, and that is what we should be discussing.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

2- The Bloc's goal isn't to separate Quebec, it's to protect Quebec's interests before the House of Commons

actually part of their mandate is that but also sovereignty for quebec is part of their mandate, that means quebec will be separate from Canada

as for the coalition, well let's see both Dion and Layton lied about things Harper wanted to do on the campaign trail. they lost the election, now being a bunch of sore losers they are trying to steal the government away by hook or by crook. yeah i REALLY want someone like that in power, they call Harper a Canadian bush jr, well sorry to say the coalition is more bush jr like than harper

 

[Larenxis]

This has probably been said, but yeah, we did vote for them. That's why they're the majority, and the Conservatives are the minority. And as for the Bloc, they do want to split the nation but not for a long while, they still want to prove they can lead. And with the Liberals and NDP in the coalition, I think this country will stay together.

I am of course thrilled by this coalition. People working together always makes me happy, and it helps when it's for a cause I'm for, AKA taking power away from the Conservative government.

 

[super_smash_jesus]

I am all for a coalition, if the governor general decides that the liberals and NDP are fit to run the country together that is. If not, then we will have a wonderful new election, and give minority control back to the conservatives and redo this whole catastrophe. People don't learn, Harper = douchebag, and I personally don't like the way he runs the country. Any party that somehow wins a minority vote without a platform simply amazes me. That is why I am glad that the Liberals and NDP are hopefully going to take control, because my ideal party lies between the two, so huzah for coalition, may you be quick to banish the one known as harper.