Ok. It's a new day. Harper is PM - with a government that is more minority than the last one...
You could hear the collective sigh of relief at about 10:30 pacific time last night, as Canada proved once again that we are a country that loves the middle ground. Talk last week of a possible Conservative majority was enough to make us start thinking again. Sure - everyone is sick of the Liberals. But giving the Reformers the keys to the kingdom? Nope - not quite ready to go there.
Today national thinking seems to be on two tracks:
- That the allocation of seats will ensure that the Harperites will be unable to annex us to the US, and that women, gays and lesbians, and the poor are safe for now...
- OR, that because the seats are allocated as they are, Harper, et al will push harder than ever to annex us to the US, gut our social programs, and make my legal marriage disappear.
Can you guess which track I'm supporting??
Everyone keeps assuring me that the Liberals and the Bloc will keep Harper in line. But what if the rumours are true, and Harper has bought the Bloc?
Fingers crossed...
2 comments:
I wouldn't worry about Harper and the Bloc! He cost them seats in Quebec. That should have ended any ideas of friendship between the two. The idea of a conservative government used to scare the hell out of me, but the truth is I'm really not taking any of it seriously. As far as I'm concerned all this election was was a way to waste more tax payers money. A year from now we'll be heading to the polls again and voting out another minority government! In the mean time we get to watch them all blow up thier chests and act big while accomplishing the usual nothing. We've got so much to be proud of don't we! We've got 4 major political parties arguing about how to fund or cut social programs and they solve it by calling a multi-million dollar election. Just imagine how dull it would have been if they all put thier selfish egos aside and used that money to feed hungry children! Oh Canada!
ACK! I don't like your second choice! I am not sure how that can even happen.
I drove to Moberly on Tuesday and gave this a lot of thought while I listened to the pundits on CBC. So, I ended up with some thoughts:
1.There is no doubt that our country's political make up needed some shaking up. No party should be in power so long and the Liberals needed some lessons in humility. It is just too bad that Harper and his crowd were the choice.
2. Harper got in by the skin of his teeth. This is his chance to show he can play nice and get along with the other kids in the schoolyard. (I am really not sure he can for the record)
3. This allocation of seats MAY force all concerned to find consensus and compromise.....maybe. Perhaps it could be the start of some changes in how things are done in the house. (yeah, just call me Pollyanna!)
4. The NDP made an awesome showing! I think that is a message of some sort of what Canadians REALLY want, not just those of the religious right mentality with alleged "family values".
5. The Liberals needed some housecleaning badly. Perhaps a new leader will be an improvement. Martin could have been a much better PM, but apparently surrounded himself with the wrong people.
6. If the Harper government does collapse in too short a time, there will be another leadership race on that side of the House.
Then, I drove to Blueberry on Wednesday. Jay Hill had made the comment that the Conservatives would be working hard to change (eliminate?) the gun laws. I really don't think that should be the first issue tackled, given the make up of the House. That suggested to me that Harper may have a truly difficult time keeping his troops in line.
The bottom line is that this will be an interesting time to watch what happens. Too bad we live in such a boring riding!
KB - FSJ
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