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Paul Wells: This election campaign is going to have extra innings

Your daily campaign minute with Maclean’s columnists

by macleans.ca on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 5:54pm - 12 Comments
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  • DerekPearce

    Well, if the Throne Speech is defeated, depending on what the GG decides, we'll either follow lawful Parliamentary procedure or have a new unwritten constitutional law that says minority governments technically do but practicably don't exist. If the GG goes with the latter, how would that work? Another election? Another proroguing of Parliament while the Conservatives work to actually compromise with the opposition on the Throne Speech & Budget?

  • Dan F

    Are any pollsters asking the question: "If Harper fails to maintain the confidence of the House, would you prefer a) Another Election or b) The GG to ask Michael Ignatieff if he can hold the confidence of the house?"

    • shouldIsellyourwheat

      It doesn't matter what we think. It only matters what the GG thinks. Our Constitution wisely decides to let a human being make this decision whether to call another election, or to call upon the leader of the 2nd party.

      This is the beauty of our system of government developed over centuries by trial and error, and not by some dweeb in the university government affairs department thinking they are smarter than 500 years of history.

      • katie smith

        It doesn't matter what we think? Right … it is only our country and it is oh-so-very democratic to leave it in the hands of one, unelected, unrepresentative individual … (that being said – I'm betting GG will take us into account if making such a decision even if you think he shouldn't have to).

        There isn't in fact much beauty in a collection of largely unwritten, unknown or generally misunderstood conventions and the fact that they were developed over the course of 500 years … in uhm, another country …. that has less and less relevance to us every day, only adds to the problem.

        But I will point out yet again – faced with the problem of minority Parliament in a system that is designed for majority, the UK found a solution in five days … our politicians have been monkeying around, whining about "gimme a majority, no me, no me, for five years … and its NOT getting better …

      • Thwim

        Yet your compatriots are running around saying that the GG will pay attention to public opinion…

  • http://www.jeffculbert.ca Jeff Culbert

    Extra innings, yes, but Harper has no bat.
    Or to mix metaphors: The 'best before' date for Harper is May 2.

  • FVerhoeven

    To fight over interpretations of the results.

    So, on May 3, the Canadian democracy is to be all about interpretations……………….interesting democracy.

  • j.v

    Paul is just scare mongering here. Unless Harper unveils some thing very unusual and unexpected the opposition parties will give Harper a free ride for a year based on the idea that he has a mandate based on the just completed election. If Harper only gets 30% of the popular vote that won't be any where near true but the parties have always followed through on that idea knowing that bringing the government down again right away would P.O. the voters to no end. And even though Harper ended the previous 3 governments not the opposition he, has managed to make the voters believe that it was really the opposition so there is no good will for them to tap into.

    Canadians have become as ignorant as Americans when it comes to their government and reporters like Paul Wells regurgitating the Harper spin like gospel are doing nothing to help correct the problem.

  • Tom

    I have heard some media discuss that the GG could grant the Liberals a chance to gain House confidence if the Con gov't is defeated on the budget. But doesn't it have to be the Throne Speech? I mean, if they survive the Throne Speech, but are subsequently defeated on the budget, would that mean another election or is it up to GG discretion? It's important because at what point would a Conservative minority be able to start governing as if they had a majority because the other parties will not want to go immediately to the polls again? Based on what happened last time, isn't the Throne Speech the final showdown, after which (if passed) the Cons would be home free for another 2-3 years?

  • hosertohoosier

    Perhaps Harper should adopt Edwin Edwards unofficial slogan in the Louisiana Gubernatorial election against David Duke: "vote for the crook, its important."

  • Stewart_Smith

    Well Wells, the good news is that your prediction of an election in 2012 is looking very promising.

  • noob_goldberg

    That article is way over the top, even for Feschuk, but this line still makes me giggle like a 7 year old:

    "Little-known fact: when you lift up Industry Minister Tony Clement, you can see the name “Stephen” written in Sharpie on the bottom of his shoe."

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