Downright Frightening

Stephen Harper, Prime Minister (pro-tem??) of Canada, recently tried to remove federal funding from political parties. That move looked to many like a modern-day version of killing one's enemies and infuriated the members of the other Canadian political parties. The result has been that three parties have formed a coalition to try to take control of the govt.

Their stated reason for forming the coalition has been that the conservative-led minority govt has not put forward a stimulus plan to deal with the coming recession. But on stimulus plans see this. And most people seem to think that this is just an excuse to wrest power from the conservatives.

There are many potential maneuvres for all involved being discussed in the media, but as of now it appears that this putsch by the old-time labour-socialists (NDP), the separatists (Bloc), and the near-leaderless Liberals is likely to succeed. Combined, they have the votes to bring down the conservative govt (which really did overstep their power with bad planning, if nothing else), and the coalition most likely will succeed, as they have signed an accord to divvy up various cabinet positions and policy positions.

This likelihood scares the be-jesus out of me. My recollection is that the last time there was a liberal-ndp coalition in Parliament (in the 1970s), Canada was saddled with tonnes of entitlement programmes that dramatically raised the natural unemployment rate and increased the size of the govt well beyond what it had been in the past. I see no reason to expect anything different this time. Look for more hand-outs, more nanny-statisms, and more (not less) unemployment.

Also, given that Stephane Dion has announced he will be stepping down from the Liberal leadership (and hence from the Prime Ministership, should the putsch be successful), Canada will have yet another pro-tem PM. What is worse, we could very likely end up with Michael Ignatieff as the Prime Minister. See here for my earlier concerns about this elitist interventionist.

Comments

[John Hendseron]

I like your description of the NDP as "old-time labour-socialists." They're rising in power just in time to save some CAW butt by insuring that a Big Three bailout comes without concessions by labour.

[yappa]

Worthwhile changed his mind about the need for stimulus (http://worthwhile.typepad.com/worthwhile_canadian_initi/2008/12/october-may-have-been-the-peak-now-what.html).

Noone in the know in the Liberal party "think that this is just an excuse to wrest power from the conservatives". This was the most inconvenient, high risk time for the Liberals to try to join a coalition. Harper left the opposition no choice but to find a way to oppose him. Forcing an election so soon after the last would be political suicide: that left coalition. This was no power grab - and there was more to it than political subsidies. Now that the Liberals have a permanent leader, he is clear on wanting to find alternatives to the coalition.