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| Liberal NDP Coalition Government |
| 04.24.05 (2:32 pm) [edit] |
|
Why should NDP supporters prefer a Liberal NDP minority government to, say, a Conservative NDP minority government? First, let me say this. I hope no NDP supporter is thinking that a Conservative NDP minority government is a realistic option. Should the Conservatives be in a position to form a minority, they would most likely use a system of shifting coalitions to achieve their aims. For example, when it came to transferring Federal powers to the provinces, forever rending the Federal government impotent, the Conservatives will turn to the Bloc for assistance. When it comes to BMD, they will turn to the Liberals. Etc. However, a Liberal coalition is preferable for reasons that go beyond practically. The two parties share some common policy goals. Here are 4. 1) National child care program. 2) No to BMD 3) Liberalization of marijuana laws 4) Gay marriage The Conservative are against all 4. Now, the NDP and the Liberals differ on just how far the country should go in liberalizing of Canada’s marijuana laws. However, it is not unrealistic that the NDP would be able to push the Liberals to legalize marijuana entirely. There is a 5th policy goal the NDP may be able to accomplish under such a coalition and that is Proportion Representation. This is not as remote as it first seems. Two things may prompt the Liberals to consider such an option. First, the Liberals may decide that the damage done to their brand name is great enough that achieving a majority government again would be very difficult and as the natural party of the center a switch to PR could be advantageous. Second, Federalism has been dealt a serious blow in Quebec and the future of the country is by no means guaranteed. Without, Quebec and possibly the Maritimes, the Canadian political scene would look radically different and a first past the post system probably favors the Conservatives. With another referendum all but certain, the Liberals may decide to cover all bases and back PR. Let me end off by addressing a Conservative caricature of the current Liberal government that people might have bought into and that might have them hesitating, viz., Martin is ditherer and nothing gets done. As the NDP do not hold enough seats to form a majority voting block with the Liberals and as the Bloc are a separatist party hell bent on achieving the country’s break up, outside of gay marriage the fact of the matter is that the Liberals must tailor their bills, but most notably the budget, to the Conservatives liking. As the Conservatives are intent on forcing an election, they have brought the government to a standstill. They claimed it is Martin’s “dithering” that has brought things to a crashing halt when it is there own obstructionism that is to blame. Of course, the sorry excuse we have for a press core has done the best to spread this Conservative talking point. That brings me to 6th thing the NDP and Liberals could agree on, viz., that the CanWest Global’s media empire should be smashed into a million pieces by tough new laws designed to break up media concentration. Well, one can always hope. |
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