It may be far too early to get carried away with discussion of a possible Liberal-NDP coalition following the next election. After all, Parliament has yet to return and a campaign, though now a virtual inevitability, is yet to begin. Still, Stephen Harper clearly views the threat of an opposition coalition as a serious one. In this clip (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/video/ignatieff-calls-harper-two-faced/article1282698/) we see him warning an audience about the dangers of another coalition led “by the socialists and the separatists”. Readers of this blog will already know my views on what transpired last December, but what’s clear to me from Harper’s posturing is that he regards the potential coalition as a viable one, and thus one that poses a serious danger to his leadership. And why not? There is indeed a very strong case to be made for such an alliance, as both Patrick and I have argued on this blog for the past several months.
Stephen Harper has now led his party to victory in two elections and the possibility remains that he will carry the Conservatives to another minority following November’s inevitable poll, although this is far from certain. Yet his victories have been indecisive, unresolved, and inconclusive. He is perhaps the most conservative Prime Minister to enter the House of Commons since the Second World War and his brand of ruthless idealism remains far to the right of the other national parties. The sentiment in his recent statement was clear: he not only regards the other parties as rivals but as public enemies whose agendas are dangerous to the collective interest and hostile to “Canadian values”. Such a Prime Minister cannot be allowed to continue governing, particularly if his mandate again falls short of majority. Such a result will mark the third time in the same number of years that Harper has failed to secure a real mandate to pursue his agenda. As such, a national unity coalition consisting of the Liberals and the NDP could provide a real alternative which better reflects the expressed will of the electorate and which could better handle the challenges faced by Canada at the dawn of the 21st-Century. Though this country has provided Harper with the support to form two provisional minority governments, it is clear that the majority of Canadians desire a different approach to politics and a more stable Parliament. Through the inevitable tirade of lies and deception sure to be launched once again by the Conservatives if their government is under threat, this case must be made to Canadians: Harper lacks a clear mandate to govern effectively. The Liberals, the NDP, the environmental movement, the left, the labour movement, and Quebec’s federalists do and they are prepared to work together in the public interest.
The ashes of last December are yet to be extinguished. The embers for change lie smothered beneath the ruins of the first coalition. The second needs only air to breath before it ignites and is carried forth by the wind.
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