The coalition is dead, long live the coalition
Posted by: Frédéric Van Caenegem in Canada, Issues & politics, tags: Coalition, Ignatieff, Liberal, NDPIt’s without big surprise that Michael Ignatieff decided to support the conservative budget. Ignatieff’s objective is to help Canada by restoring the significance of the Liberal Party. Not my choice, but then again, I am not a Liberal so quite frankly, the Liberals should not listen to me.
I did support the coalition for two reasons. The main reason: being a progressive, I saw with enthusiasm that the NDP was being part of this coalition and therefore could influence policy making in Canada. Quite frankly, I would have preferred a NDP-Green coalition government, but that was not the choice of Canadians and, under the current Parliament, a Liberal-NDP coalition was the best thing possible.
The second reason I supported the coalition was that the Liberal-NDP government was going to consult the Bloc Québécois. Being from Québec, I know and understand Québec’s political culture. Towards the separatist threat, there are two possible attitudes: discussing with Québec separatists or isolating the separatists.
Trudeau didn’t want to discuss with them and he managed to frustrate just about everyone. Mulroney tried to discuss with the separatist and also managed to frustrate just about everyone. Jean Chrétien followed in Trudeau’s steps and also refused any discussion with the separatists. That plan was called the “Plan B”, and the main spokesperson for that “plan B” in Québec was none other than Stéphane Dion.
Can the Québec question be solved? I can’t say for sure, but I believe it can only be possible through discussion with the separatists.
Québec socio-political values are more progressive than in the other provinces for complex reasons that I will not even try to explain here (partially because I can’t). Québec’s left-wing lean is even more pronounced in the separatist vote. The federalists in Québec tend to be slightly more conservative than their separatists’ counterpart. Therefore, one would think that the left-wing NDP should have their best results in Québec; but quite contrary, the NDP is weaker in Québec than anywhere else. This comes from the fact that progressives in Québec tend to be also separatists (which the NDP obviously isn’t) and therefore massively vote for the Bloc Québécois.
This coalition was (among things) an attempt by Canadian progressives to discuss with their separatist counterparts of Québec. This coalition didn’t last, it didn’t even govern! But call me old fashioned, I still believe through discussion with separatists, we’ll discover that their grievances are not completely incompatible with Canadian values.
To the age old question of: What does Québec want? Could the answer possibly be: “just to be heard!”
Entries (RSS)
Firstly what is the point of the coalition? The liberals have only to sit back with a budget as good as what they would have put into place and watch Harper dance on the head of a pin. When they are all done the Liberals will in all likelyhood be back in power admists cries for a balanced budget. The other parties are dead weight and will never form a majority, although I do love the NDP except lately. The Liberals seemingly side steped a bullet involving them trying to save the faltering economy.
Secondly Quebec, she tugs my heart strings I have been, and think it is the most beautiful place in Canada, i love it there. But seriously folks! Among the staggering questions are: who gets all that military hardware, Quebec would have to sign trade deals with Canada and the US and my fav all those natives who live up North recieve their funding from the Federal government! Let me tell you those reserves are not cheap and do not put money back in. Yeah yeah it is their land, i am not saying they shouldn’t have the money, only that those communities are expensive. So who takes them on? Do all those Natives move? The newly minted nation of Quebec will spend hundred millions to fund them in the style they need to subsist? Or could they vote themselves back into Canada? Gosh those are just some of the broad easy questions to say nothing of propoerty owned and corprate assets, taxes…And of course those beautiful transfer payments would really have to stop.
Of course I never understand how they are not shot for treason…(the bloc). I love Quebec and Canada, I think Quebec is one of the most speical places because it does have such a unique culture, given the above just how does one even begin to dream that separation is anything but a saber rattling technique?
I disagree with you Fred : Quebec doesn’t just want to be heard. I’m a french Quebecker (is that how we spell it?) and I believe that if we are to ever give ourselves a country, the decision will be taken by the people of Quebec, whatever Canada says or listens to. Sure I’m glad if Canada recognizes our culture, but if we choose to create our own country, with laws that people here want (less pollution, no kids in jail, no firearms for Joe the killer, invest in cultural events, no war…) why would we want to be listened to? You don’t ask for freedom, you take it.
Anyways, for the canadians reading this, don’t worry. Harper and his crew tried to scare you with the separatist threat but it’sas dangerous as Irak’s massive destruction weapons. I didn’t hear about separation in the newspapers for months before our PM brought this back to life when he was about to be kicked out. The Parti Quebecois (provincial gov) is not even close to governing (… and won’t be for the next four years).
With all that said, I think listening to people from Quebec could have one great endpoint: give the Bloc no reason for living. Then the “socialist” parties could have a chance to be a real opposition. But this won’t happen as you insightfully mentionned, because most progressives in Quebec are also separatists…
Hmm, we know you’re not a Liberal. But is Iggy really a Liberal?
http://1anxiousliberal.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/king-iggy-2008-donation-to-liberals-0/
Bravo! Excellent post. I sure hope lots of people read this.
I very much enjoyed Duceppe during the last election. He is so forthright, he’s funny.
I was born and raised, on the prairies, attended the UofS and then worked, loved, lived and raised children in Quebec. I liked Rene Levesque and voted for the Parti Quebecois. If I were there now I would probably be a member of Quebec Solidaire.
I know about bigotry from Western Canadians, well, atleast where I grew up. My father could never understand why I would live in that province with those “pea soupers”.
The Conservatives rallied Canadians to shouts and cries of “separatists” and “socialists”. Bad people. Almost like geting in bed with terrorists. It was like the boy crying “Wolf” for the first time and everyone was sure this Coalition accord was not good for Canada.
I saw it as Canada’s answer to the Obama thing. Only we would be focusing on a pool of brilliant and creative Canadians without an emphasis on the King, star, guru,leader.
It could have been a genuine goldmine of creative input from all concerned including Greens and CAP.
Taking us away from all the silly business of this party, that party and the games and name calling and stalling.
I believe Michael Ignatieff is playing an old boys political game and I truly wish they could all drop the quest for glory .power and all the other ridiculous trips. Its a waste of time, money and energy.
I guess the one question I have recently wondered is: what happens if Quebec were to separate?
Great analysis. That was the part that made me really sad. It was a way to have national unity and working together for a common purpose. Instead, we are back to the liberals wanting power only for themselves, and the rest of Canadians be damned. It would have been a great way for “testing the waters” with no long range commitment, and could have actually led to the progressives uniting under one banner. Perhaps that was what the liberals were so scared of – better to keep the Bloc and the NDP separated caused if they merged, why they would be the official opposition.
Which makes me wonder, perhaps that is an ipod idea.
Why can’t the NDP-bloc form a coalition agreement for the remainder of this parliament. The differences, just like in the other are put aside – separation and work as the official opposition.