Understanding the Argument

I’m sitting watching the kids practice their Christmas pagent. It’s much more tame than the floor of the house of commons – before it was prorouged.

I don’t know why I’m so interested in the politics of this crisis- except that I’m happy to see the lastest polls have the Conservatives close to majority, and the Liberals and NDs completely punished by the electorate, if an election were held today- which tells me I’m not alone.

Anyway, I’ll be cleaning up these points to send them into editors of newspapers as the rhetoric around them are completed bought into by the TV media.

Here they are… Remember I’m at the kids practice, so it may not be fully explained – let me know if I need to clarify a few points.

1. It’s ridiculous the opposition claims the Conservatives don’t have the mandate of the people because the majority of Canadians who voted, didn’t vote for them. Only 5 of the 40 governments we’ve had got the majority of votes. Since WWII – when 3 parties contended and no crisis existed existed to unite the vote- only 2 governments got more than 50%… and both were Conservative. If Harper doesn’t have the mandate, neither did Trudeau, or Cretien, or Martin. It’s an ignorant or stupid argument that reeks of arrogance.

2. It’s ignorant to suggest the GG can choose the coalition-of-loser to rule Canada based on the King-Byng affair. This is the precedence they flaunt. But they either don’t understand history and the role if the Governor General in the Canadian Parlimentary system -and are just ignorant – or they are lying, and are thus stupid. The constitutional crisis was not SOLVED by appointing the opposition – it was CAUSED by the GG not listening to his chief advisor- the PM. How can an unelected position subvert the will of the democratically elected leader? The GG can’t – without CAUSING a constituonal crisis. This is what the coalition-of-losers are counting on – they need a Constitutional crisis to rule.

3. Maybe that last point needs to be explained by the third key to their platform that is either ignorant or stupid. They are inisting that the PM is not the PM without the consent of parliment. How ridiculous is that? The PM is the PM until the next PM is sworn in. Without the confidence of the house, no bills can be passed and the work of the government comes to a halt. By convention and common sense, it’s time for a new PM or a new mandate. But the PM is still the PM until the next PM is sworn in. There is no lag time when the GG has control of the Government.

Why is this important?

Because the PM is the chief advisor to the GG. For the GG to do anything contrary to the advice of the PM precipitates a constitutional crisis. The GG can’t poll MP’s before war is declared. The GG can’t poll MP’s if the PM wants an election. To listen to another beside the duly elected PM means our constitution is not working, our practice is not honour, and our convention is ignored.

With the current poll numbers do you think coalition will want run on last week’s record?

Only if they are truly ignorant of their argument. I don’t think they are. It seems they are just stupid.

Layton will never get a better chance for power. Dion really wants to be PM. If a deeper thinking leader can’t replace Dion in time, they may just do what they threaten.

If Harper can include enough of their saner plans into the budget, it should be clear to the majority of voters that it’s a lust for power precipitating this crisis.

Time for pizza… Better go.