Like many Canadians I have been bombarded with talk about the political turmoil our country faces in the next few months, from this barrage there are a few themes that keep popping up. It is surprising how much noise is being made over the possibility of a coalition government being formed in lieu of the current minority government. Neither side of the debate can be ultimately sure of the agenda of the incumbent or the proposed coalition government, but one thing is certain those people who are arguing from a place of ignorance should be politely asked to shut up and allow those who understand the Canadian political scheme to argue to their hearts content. Those who understand the dynamics of our political system are worth listening too, as their opinions are valid poignant to the discussion. There are three main mistakes the public is making surrounding the proposed formation of the coalition.
The first mistake these ignorant squawkers are making is arguing that the loser from the last election should not be given the chance to govern our country. The flaw in this argument is that the house of commons is made up elected individuals from different parties, not losers. Each region gets to choose who will represent their voice in the house. Clearly more Canadians voted for other parties since the current government is a minority, this means that in a coalition more Canadians will be represented than by the minority government.
The second mistake being made is the idea that somehow another election will be a worthwhile endeavour. Another election will cost us a lot of money and time during a financial crisis where money is a time are of the essence. Looking back at the voter turnout and the overall effect of the last election it is likely that the results will be the same. A minority government which will fall the same way the current government will. This will put Canadians in the exact same situation with an even bigger headache and further behind in the catch-up game we are already playing during this economic crisis.
The third mistake is that a coalition is somehow some kind of evil perversion of the Canadian democratic system. The mistake here is that a coalition is a formation of democratically elected individuals representing a wide array of citizens joining together to bring stability. This formation of a coalition does not distort Democracy, it is Canadian democracy. The Conservatives will not be tossed out of the house of commons they will continue to serve their constituents needs in the house just as the members of the proposed coalition would continue doing if the minority government was fit to lead.
A coalition is the answer to a faltering minority government. If the elected individuals in the house have lost confidence in the current government then they become ineffectual. The current government is a minority, which means they need the confidence and support of the other members in the house to be effective in their role. We need to remember these members of Parliament represent the voice of the Canadian people, so if the majority of the house disagrees with the minority government this means more Canadians disagree with them than agree. In the end it comes down to this argument being an example of the ignorance prevalent in our society. One must remember that as a Canadian you have the luxury of moving if you disagree with how Canada is being governed.
By Lorn R. Kennedy
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