bad news from G-G, in so many ways
So, after having gotten excited about the prospect of a centre-left coalition taking power, I'm dejected today. I'm sure we all are.
I'm trying to figure out what the worst aspect of it is:
* Conservative. We seemed so close to actually having a progressive government take power. Instead... well, it might still happen, but for the next seven weeks at least we've got the reactionaries.
* Undemocratic. A party chosen by 37% of the people stays in power instead of a combination of parties chosen by 44% of the people endorsed by a combination of parties chosen by 61% of the people.
* Delay. At a time when an economic stimulus is urgently needed, there will be no parliament to authorize spending for another two months.
* Constitutional precedent. Every student of Canadian government learns in high school that the fundamental principle of our political system is Responsible Government: the government is responsible to the elected chamber of parliament. This principle is undermined by the precedent that avoiding facing a confidence vote is a legitimate exercise of executive prerogative.
Have I missed any other reasons to be unhappy about this decision?
No
You haven't missed any reasons so far as I can tell. I'm also not sure which is the worst aspect.
One small upside... maybe the 'separatist', 'treason and sedition' rhetoric will cease for those seven weeks. Am I too optimistic? Quebec, however, will not forget such talk.
Everything's cheaper than it looks.
Maybe too optimistic
One small upside... maybe the 'separatist', 'treason and sedition' rhetoric will cease for those seven weeks. Am I too optimistic? Quebec, however, will not forget such talk.
These people use the Republican playbook whether it works or not. Look for language like "real Canadians" and for the word "separatist" to not-so-subtly mean "terrorist" e.g. "the Liberals and NDP are pallin' around with separatists".
For many
the word "separatist" does not-so-subtly mean "terrorist" as they conflate today's Parti Quebecois and the Bloc Quebecois with the 60's to early 70's terrorist group the FLQ.
Everything's cheaper than it looks.
Makes me wonder how far Harper would have gone...
if the GG had denied him.
Meanwhile, posted on my Facebook from a US friend:
You also know I rarely ask, but WTF is up with this Harper thing and the dissolution of Parliament? The Queen of feckin' England has this authority!? Have mercy.
Was this some arcane detail that few people knew or cared about, and hadn't got around to correcting (wouldna want to hurt the old grrl's feelings; she's been thru a lot lately, eh?), that everybody knew would never be used, until this numnutz PM (at least according to all that makes it South) or maybe it just got lost until PM N. was thrashin about looking for an escape?
I cop to admiring Canadian respect for tradition, but the fact that a) he did it, and b) SO DID SHE! is shocking and a little unsettling to your Southern neighbors. We were counting on y'all to stay sane while we had this bout of complete depravity, and the recovery therefrom.
So, how's this playing?"
Pretty much.
I would also like to add that this will give no confidence in any kind of markets.
We have a govt teetering on the cliff....they just tied some dental floss to it to hold it up for a little while.
*sigh*
with good ol Diamond Jim still there.....We are going down.
Hows things otherwise MGK?
If you believe you can tell me what to think, I believe I can tell you where to go......
same old same old
How are things otherwise? Oh, much the same, i.e. not great. I had a job interview earlier this week, didn't get the job. So, all it all, it's been a week of unfulfilled hopes. It wouldn't have been a great job but it would have gotten me working again. I've been unemployed too long.
Meanwhile I've got an assignment for a bit of delicate diplomacy on behalf of a non-profit organization I'm somewhat involved in running. So that's still in the "tense uncertainty" phase.