Coalition Government: Pros and Cons

It would be folly for me not to take advantage of this current crisis in Canadian politics to endorse my own views on the catastrophe that has quickly become Canada’s government. My position is essentially this: we’re damned if we do, we’re damned if we don’t.

The partisan wrangling and vies for power evidenced by Harper’s policies and the potential coalition’s power grab speaks volumes of the lack of substantive political action taken by members of parliament. I will however, take this opportunity to dismiss a couple of unsubstantiated claims made against the looming coalition government:

1) The coalition is undemocratic and unelected.

Actually, the coalition is made up entirely of democratically elected representatives. Coalition governments are actually a suitable alternative to a minority government, and given the current (lacking!) Westminster system, the Governor General has it in her power to accept the coalition’s bid.

2) The coalition is just making a partisan power grab in an historical moment of economic crisis.

Perhaps this claim is not quite unsubstantiated, but I retort: the Conservative policy to dismantle the public funding of political parties favoured the Conservative party. That wasn’t a partisan power grab made in a moment of world economic crisis? This second argument is usually made by Conservative party hacks with absolutely no introspective ability.

This does not, however, by any means imply that I am supportive of the coalition’s bid for power. I am quite critical of the coalition for several reasons, primarily the ones Avnish at Straight Outta Edmonton has provided here. These are:

1) This is, regardless of reciprocity, still a partisan power grab.

2) A coalition with separatists? This does not bode well for external views of Quebec sovereignty.

3) This will only serve to further alienate the West from parties other than the Conservatives.

4) The recession is going to fuck shit up regardless of who is in power.

5) It’s better that Harper take the blame for economic collapse than all three alternative parties.

Anyway, this is an interesting period in Canadian politics, which the folks over at Alberta: Get Rich or Die Trying said most eloquently:

Finally we no longer have to pretend….

…that Canadian politics are really that interesting.

Still, it intrigues me that only a partisan power grab has motivated the overthrow of the Harper government. One would have thought that perhaps his totalitarian Shoe Store debacle a year ago, his absolute control over Conservative Party discipline, his cunning and conniving political strategies, or his constant contradictions would have incited some popular opposition. I suppose apathy is a wonderful thing when you desire to keep power.

Regardless of which political body is responsible for governing Canada over the next short while, whether Harper’s whipped Conservatives or the potentially unstable and segregating three-party coalition, I conclude: shame shit, different asshole.