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Michaëlle's Choice
Canadian school children can explain it - we all learned about the King-Byng Thing. That was when the Governor General of Canada of the day, Lord Byng of Vimy, refused Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's request to dissolve parliament and call a general election. Like today's Stephen Harper, King had a minority government. After Byng refused his request King resigned and Byng asked Arthur Meighen to form a government and become Prime Minister. Meighen accepted. He quickly loss a non-confidence motion in the House of Commons and an election was called. King used it as a campaign point and ended up winning a majority in the government. Because Harper and Flaherty made a colossal mess last week - it really was a dumb thing to do cutting off funding to all political parties where it would, according to the Canadian Press, have the largest impact on the other parties. If Flaherty's $30 million cut had passed the losers would have been:
Note the difference especially for the Tories! So what is Michaëlle to do? The Governor General's choices are to call one, call a new election. In the past two elections the Tories have managed a minority government. Canada is divided this may not solve the problem or one party, not necessarily the Conservatives, could do well with Canada's first-past-the-post election system and win a majority of seats in the House of Commons. Jean could also accept the coalition government proposed by the four parties opposed to Harper and his Tories. This would save the cost of a new election and there is an end date in sight: June 30, 2011. Her final choice would be to prorogue Parliament. Propogation would end this session of Parliament without calling an election. Traditionally all bills etc would be dropped. Parliament would be reconvened in a new session likely in January 2009. This in effect would give politicians an extra-long Christmas holiday during a time when in Flaherty's own words, after delivering his fiscal statement that led to this mess, "these are difficult times that will require difficult choices," adding, "we cannot ask Canadians to tighten their belts during tougher times without looking in the mirror. We have a responsibility to show restraint and respect for tax dollars." Flaherty and Harper think the way to take responsibility to show restraint is by asking for an extended holiday? Doesn't pass the smell test. Michaëlle Jean has two clear choices : call an election or accept the coalition government. Do Nothing, prorogation the Tory choice, isn't going to solve anything especially in an economic crisis. People need help today! |
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