Eric C. Bow

I’d like to make four points in answer to criticism of the proposed
coalition:

1. In Canada we
   do NOT elect a Prime Minister, we elect a Parliament.  Parliament then decides which group has
   the confidence of the House to govern and that group’s leader becomes
   Prime Minister.
2. The
   Bloc ran in the last election NOT as separatist but as an anti CPC (stop
   Harper) choice. They received more than 50% of the vote in Quebec.  Quebec
   is very much a part of Canada
   and this Quebec
   anti CPC vote must be included in the Canadian totals.
3. Over
   60 % of the Canadian electorate all across Canada
   (yes there are both Liberal and NDP seats west of Ontario and in all of the Western
   ridings not held by the CPC one or the other ran second). The proposed
   coalition represents a majority of all Canadians; Harper’s Conservatives do
   NOT.  The House has both a moral and
   legal right to place its confidence in the proposed coalition. Talk of a
   coup d’état is nonsense!
4. In
   the economic update and the accompanying proposed legislation, Harper
   showed what the CPC would do if it had a majority. He was behaving very
   aggressively and uncooperatively.  Canada
   thoroughly rejected this right wing platform in denying him a majority;
   Canadians wanted a working minority government to hold the CPC’s right
   wing in check.  In a minority
   government the governing group has to work with the other parties and make
   compromises.  Harper’s tactics last
   week make it impossible for this House to work with him.  He and his PMO have to go! At the very
   least turn over the CPC to the moderates in the party.

I think Harper is anti-parliamentary democracy
or maybe he just doesn’t understand it. 
In a parliamentary system the Prime Minister has to have the confidence
of the House to govern. It is the House of Commons that picks the Prime
Minister not the party or the voters! Harper’s past and present government is
marked by disrespect for parliament and attempts to “get around”
parliament.  Harper’s strict muzzling of
his own backbenchers is a symptom of his disrespect for parliament and members
of parliament. He was and is trying to govern as if he were President. Doesn’t
he realize that nearly 63% of the electorate DID NOT vote for the CPC? I
support a coalition to replace Harper and perhaps an election after a new
Liberal leader is elected. The present CPC government must go!

I think the Bloc, Liberals and NDP should go to
the Governor General with the same statement modified for 2008 that Harper
agreed to in 2004; “As leaders of the opposition parties, we are well aware
that, given the Liberal (change to CPC) minority government, you could be asked
by the Prime Minister to dissolve the 38^th (change to 40^th)
Parliament at any time should the House of Commons fail to support some part of
the government’s program. We respectfully point out that the opposition
parties, who together constitute a majority in the House, have been in close
consultation. We believe that, should a request for dissolution arise this
should give you cause, as constitutional practice has determined to consult the
opposition leaders and consider all of your options before exercising your
constitutional authority. Your attention to this matter is appreciated.”

I understand from the Ontario experience in 1985 that the Bloc
needs only to sign an agreement that it will not vote for any non confidence
motions aimed at the coalition government for a specified period.  I think they can agree to that if the
coalition agrees in writing that it will respect the rights of Quebec and well not do anything that would hurt the
interests of Quebec.

Hey how about a preamble to any agreement to
form a coalition government with BLOC support. 
Something like this: “We a coalition of Liberal Party of Canada and the
New Democratic Party stand for peace, welfare and good government. We undertake
to respect Quebec’s status as a nation within Canada and Quebec’s
and Canada’s
interests. We believe that Canada
is facing a very grave financial situation and that fiscal stimuli must be
introduced forthwith for the public benefit and welfare of all Canadians.”