I wonder. . .

[velvetpage]

Is Stephen Harper bent on ensuring that Canada goes to the polls before November fourth, specifically so that Canadians will be distracted by politics to the south? Is he trying to win by deflecting attention?

I can think of some other reasons why he'd be trying to force an election now. For one thing, the economy is on tenderhooks at best, and actively tanking in a few areas. Most of the places where it's tanking are not going to give up the vote for the Conservatives anyway, so he doesn't care much about them, beyond throwing pennies their way and siccing his finance minister on them, to tell them it's all Ontario's own fault. He doesn't want to risk the economy souring any further. And he's probably thinking that another minority with Dion running scared is a surer bet than waiting a year and trying to get a majority. The fact that he has to break his own law to force an election right now - well, that's politics, right?

In any case, I expect Harper to send us to the polls sometime around the last week of October, because he's counting on the inertia of a lack of alternatives, combined with the distraction of American politics at fever pitch, to hand him a stronger minority than he's got now. I can't see any way out of that, with Dion leading squatting in the top position in the Liberal party, and the NDP and Green parties not powerful enough to field a nationally-acceptable platform. We might be better off with Harper in a second minority position. It gives the Liberals time and incentive to get their act together, the protest vote might finally net the Greens a long-deserved seat or two, and if push comes to shove, toppling a minority government is far easier than toppling a majority one.

Comments

[dagoski.livejournal.com]

Look it this way, Bush is still in office. So it's entirely possible that US tanks will come across your border and annex your country. That means you have chance to vote for Barrack Obama.

[mrs-dm.livejournal.com]

You may be right about the Green Party getting a seat or two this time around. Combine the probable general voter apathy with the Green zealots' ability to get their vote out, and it's a real possibility.

With one or two Green MP's in the house for a couple of years, that gives enough time for the Green Party to cut its teeth in Parliament and perhaps, move to official opposition in the subsequent federal election. Hey, it happened for the Reform/Alliance Party.

Hey, looks like there may be an upside to this stupid election.

[kisekileia.livejournal.com]

Apparently the Greens are actually really right wing on economics. I haven't looked at their platform myself, but my dad thinks they're a bunch of right-wing loons and he would never vote NDP.

[daednu.livejournal.com]

I think his reasoning is threefold;
1) He doesn't want Canadians to be swept up on Obama love and vote Liberal.
2) He's getting pressure in House to call an election.
3) He wants Stephane Dion's carbon tax to nix the vote for the Liberals. Given enough time and listening to public opinion it would give the Dion the chance to realise this is not the time Canadian's will support paying extra taxes as the economy slides.

[bodhifox.livejournal.com]

Say the words *topple government* down here in reference to your own, and the Gestapo Homeland Security folks have you disappeared before you can say habeas corpus.