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My Government...

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Isn't perfect. But it's the one we voted for. A strong minority of us chose Stephen Harper as our Prime Minister less than 2 months ago. And now that choice is under threat. It all began last Thursday as our finance minister presented an economic update- a statement on the condition of Canada's economy. Included in the statement was an idea of cutting the public subsidy granted to all parties; a measure that would the Conservatives 30 million dollars. The opposition Liberals/New Democratic Party (NDP) and Bloc all announced they would vote against it. In our system, all financial issues are confidence issues- so if they vote against it Harper's conservatives will fall.

Instead of an election, an alternative coalition government is being proposed featuring the Liberals and NDP in cabinet with the support of the separtist Bloc Quebecios. Now, I never voted Conservative, but I'm okay with Harper as leader of a minority. But a coaltion, with the support of a party whose main aim is to break up my country is an affront to democracy. We the people voted Harper into power. We the people trusted him to govern. The planned coalition is not something we voted for-the result on October 14th would have been much closer. This coalition is being forced on us, and not to repeat myself but it is the bottom line in a democracy: something we never voted for. If it goes through, I can see Canadians protesting it until another election is called.

The confidence votes take place next Monday. Harper has a few options- one of them is to porouge parliament until the budget is brought down in January. If his government is voted down, the Governor-General has two choices: one is to allow the Liberals/NDP coalition to take power and govern. The second is to send it back to the people- dissolve Parliament and call another election. Whatever happens she has to do what the P.M. and cabinet say as long as a government is in power.

I keep asking myself through all this mess what happened. There is a massive dissconnect in this country right now- the communication lines are broken. We voted Harper in- our right as a democracy. We obviously want him to govern! We don't want another election now- there's more important things to spend time on like the economy. But it seems all that has gone out the window thanks to one epically stupid mistake by Harper- and an even worse mistake by his opposition.

The train has already left the station. Even if there is some agreement made in the next week, the atmosphere is poisioned enough that there will not be the cooperation needed to successfully govern the country. It may be time for another election



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