January 24, 2006 at 10 AM
Canadian Democracy Earns a Reprieve
Call me a fool, but there’s a still a part of me that is awed by a democratic election in plain view. For the first time in many years though, I slept through an election result in my home country rather than watching it unfold in real time. I miss the sense of drama, the see-saw battles and even the amateur stumbles that sometimes mark live TV broadcasting. But even my deep interest in Canadian politics doesn’t extend to staying up all night (British time) to find out what happened.
Waking up this morning, I’m struck by a few thoughts.
Canadians got what I think they were in the mood for. The first past-the-post system doesn’t always function very efficiently, but this time I believe the votes of the electorate were distributed more fairly in terms of seats. The Bloc Québécois continues to be rewarded and the New Democratic Party (NDP) continues to be punished by the system. However, the NDP narrowed the gap by increasing its seat count by 10 over the last election despite receiving only 1 additional percentage in overall votes.
Overall, the Conservatives and Liberals more or less switched places both in seats and overall votes. Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn’t have enough seats to accomplish any “hidden agenda”, if one even exists (I don’t really buy it, myself). He will have to work with one, and probably two other parties to pass legislation. Everything he has said and done recently, right up to his impressive victory speech, indicates to me that he is a leader who is prepared to work co-operatively in this role.
Paul Martin, who was not prepared in a similar fashion, got the result that his conduct in office (and in attaining that office) deserved. His predecessor and colleagues deserves plenty of blame too, of course, but ultimately he accomplished nothing to re-attain the confidence of voters, and his behaviour during the election only increased my distaste. It’s to his credit that he resigned as leader immediately. (And also to his credit that he has decided to remain as a member of Parliament. Of course, it would be pretty tactless to decline to sit as an MP the night you’ve won re-election from your constituents. Still, gracelessness and politics aren’t exactly strangers.)
Some Liberals nevertheless deserved to rise above the failure of their party and leader. I’m pleased to see some of their inspiring and talented candidates retain seats. Despite being mostly ignored by Martin, the thinking federalist’s best weapon in Quebec, Stéphane Dion, easily retained his seat in Montreal, as did former Justice Minister Irwin Cotler. In Vancouver, David Emerson and Stephen Owen were both re-elected, deservedly. And in Toronto, Michael Ignatieff rose above petty politics and the distasteful fashion of his arrival to win. I’m also not sorry to see Carolyn Bennett defeat former Global TV anchor Peter Kent. I hate Global. (Must my reasons always be principled?)
I’m equally pleased to see some of the less honourable and talented incumbents of Parliament lose their seats: the scandalized Tonys Valeri and Ianno in Toronto, Roger Galloway in Sarnia, Pierre Pettigrew and Liza Frulla in Montreal. Svend Robinson may have served his constituents well in the past, but after appearing to have taken leave of his senses, I think it’s fair to say he didn’t deserve re-election. Too bad Jean Lapierre won, but we’ll see how long he decides to remain a Liberal now that his role is reduced to opposition. (See “gracelessness” above.)
All in all, I feel like Canadian democracy has a regained its footing after some dark years of one-party rule. Harper may yet stumble, but one thing is for certain: nobody is going to want another election soon, and the party leaders all know it, so they will work hard to keep the government afloat. Hopefully that will involve co-operation, compromise and a desire to rise above the partisan rancour that has fuelled our nation’s politics for so long.
Finally, with an eye to the days ahead I’d like to point out the precarious position that the results put the Conservatives in. Even if they could make a coalition with the NDP work, they are still short a couple seats. I would look to them trying hard to tempt a few MPs from the Bloc Québécois and the Liberals. I certainly wouldn’t discount Belinda Stronach or Keith Martin returning to the Conservative fold. And there is one new independent MP in Quebec, André Arthur, who is probably ripe for a crossover, despite appearing to be a blatant ideologue with thinly-veiled racist views. Intriguing times lie in wait.
Previously: RCI Breaking the Law
Subsequently: Canada’s All Fixed
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