Slash in Parliament (Of Minority Gov'ts and Votes of Non-Confidence)--
So yesterday, Jack Layton screwed Paul Martin while Stephen Harper watched (and no doubt got off on it)*. Who knew Canadian politics was going to break out in slash?
The interesting thing about this whole dissolution of Parliament and call to General Election? It seems to me that most people aren't so much pissed that the Minority Gov't has been brought down (that's always a possibility in these situations) as that the General Election will have to be held in January, and nobody wants a winter election. It's too cold, people! *shakes fist* That could have serious repercussions for the Opposition parties (as in, there is always the possibility that the Liberals will win again, this time with a Majority Gov't). *G* I love our grumbly Canuck selves.
*For those Non-Canadians who are following along:
- Minority Government: When the winning party wins half or fewer than half the seats in Parliament, that party holds minority rule and must negotiate with the other parties in order to continue to hold power. Minority gov'ts in Canada tend to go one of two ways -- they dissolve quickly, like this time, or they hang on, work well and result in some of the most progressive pockets of governmental change.
- Vote of Non-Confidence: (I keep wanting to call it the Non-Con vote. ^_~) Vote resulting from a motion put forth usually by Opposition parties usually with the intent of breaking the gov't. Very literally, it shows that the majority of Members of Parliament do not have confidence in the ruling party, which must then resign or request a dissolution of parliament and a General Election. This is what happened yesterday.
- Jack Layton: Leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP -- our most liberal federal party), who happened to hold the swing votes in this particular minority gov't, and who had allied with the Liberals (bringing stability to the gov't) under the condition that the Liberals agree to certain political reforms. Guess what Martin and co. didn't do? *facepalm*
- Paul Martin: Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, and until yesterday (well, today, really), Prime Minister of Canada.
- Stephen Harper: Horrible little git and Um, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. (A shadow of their former selves, the Conservatives were a force to be reckoned with until PM Brian Mulroney singlehandedly rang their death knell -- they've been limping along since then, and have resorted to amalgamating with the Canadian Alliance, a horribly right-wing party that makes me want to retch yet is terribly popular in my neck of the woods. ...Editorializing? Not me. *coughBadMencough* Harper was the leader of the Alliance, not the Conservatives, when they became one party.) Popular wisdom says that Harper is not well-liked in the East (and who can blame them? Someone in this country should retain their sanity.), but the party is extremely ambitious and often reminds me of rabid dogs snapping at one's heels. ...Somebody get my gun! ...Right. Gun control laws. Damn.
The interesting thing about this whole dissolution of Parliament and call to General Election? It seems to me that most people aren't so much pissed that the Minority Gov't has been brought down (that's always a possibility in these situations) as that the General Election will have to be held in January, and nobody wants a winter election. It's too cold, people! *shakes fist* That could have serious repercussions for the Opposition parties (as in, there is always the possibility that the Liberals will win again, this time with a Majority Gov't). *G* I love our grumbly Canuck selves.
*For those Non-Canadians who are following along:
- Minority Government: When the winning party wins half or fewer than half the seats in Parliament, that party holds minority rule and must negotiate with the other parties in order to continue to hold power. Minority gov'ts in Canada tend to go one of two ways -- they dissolve quickly, like this time, or they hang on, work well and result in some of the most progressive pockets of governmental change.
- Vote of Non-Confidence: (I keep wanting to call it the Non-Con vote. ^_~) Vote resulting from a motion put forth usually by Opposition parties usually with the intent of breaking the gov't. Very literally, it shows that the majority of Members of Parliament do not have confidence in the ruling party, which must then resign or request a dissolution of parliament and a General Election. This is what happened yesterday.
- Jack Layton: Leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP -- our most liberal federal party), who happened to hold the swing votes in this particular minority gov't, and who had allied with the Liberals (bringing stability to the gov't) under the condition that the Liberals agree to certain political reforms. Guess what Martin and co. didn't do? *facepalm*
- Paul Martin: Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, and until yesterday (well, today, really), Prime Minister of Canada.
- Stephen Harper: Horrible little git and Um, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. (A shadow of their former selves, the Conservatives were a force to be reckoned with until PM Brian Mulroney singlehandedly rang their death knell -- they've been limping along since then, and have resorted to amalgamating with the Canadian Alliance, a horribly right-wing party that makes me want to retch yet is terribly popular in my neck of the woods. ...Editorializing? Not me. *coughBadMencough* Harper was the leader of the Alliance, not the Conservatives, when they became one party.) Popular wisdom says that Harper is not well-liked in the East (and who can blame them? Someone in this country should retain their sanity.), but the party is extremely ambitious and often reminds me of rabid dogs snapping at one's heels. ...Somebody get my gun! ...Right. Gun control laws. Damn.