Q: So you think the coalition’s going tostick together?
A: Well, I’m saying if we had an election, if they were to defeat us—and you know my view—if they defeat us the only constitutional political and moral option is to ask the people to choose who should govern and then there will be two choices, and somebody will win a majority if those are the choices. But my preference is not, for all kinds of reasons, not to have that election.
Q: So you think they’d actually run as a coalition?
A: I don’t think they have any choice: if they defeat us as a coalition they have to run as a coalition, and I think those will be the real choices before the electorate. The electorate will know that if you’re not electing the Conservative government you’re going to be electing a coalition that will include the NDP and the separatists. But, as I say, my strong preference is to govern, and I think to go through several more months of election, of a new government being formed, all the things that that takes, all the delays, would serve no useful purpose to the economy right now. I think it’s just better for us to govern, and I think it’s better for the opposition, rather than just opposing us and rather than getting together to oppose us on everything, to actually tell us realistically what kind of things they think we should be doing for the economy.
