Yesterday, we watched the signing of the register for the Marriage of Convenience between the Liberals, the NDP and the Bloc.  I was appalled as I saw them sit together to propose that they form a coalition government (technically a Liberal-NDP government, propped up by the Bloc).  Personally, this made me angry – at each one of the leaders, including Steven Harper.  It seems I’m not alone as the outcry can be heard from coast to coast to coast.

First, my anger is directed towards Steven Harper and Jim Flaherty.  Their proposal last week that funding be cut to the political parties was asinine.  If they really felt that this would help the economy, the Conservatives should have volutarily given up their $10 Million and then recommended that the other parties do the same with their $1.95 per vote.  That way it would not have the effect of mugging the opposition and putting a choke-hold on them.  With the limits placed on donations as a result of the scandals of the past, this is a life-line to all the political parties and they were about to remove this.  How did they think the opposition parties would react?  As Rex Murphy put it last night, Harper is either stupid or arrogant.  Combine this proposal with attempting to restrict the public service’s right to strike for three years and the removal of some of the pay-equity legislation, and it’s little wonder there was a firestorm.  As soon as I heard the news, as a Conservative, I had to shake my head in disgust.

To their credit, the Conservatives backed down on these proposals.  They had been accustomed to a spineless opposition in the Liberals and a helpless opposition in the Bloc and the NDP.  Suddenly, when Stephane Dion finally discovered and inserted his spine (six months before departure), they did the right thing and backed off.

That brings me to Dion and his new partners, Layton and Duceppe.  All three of them were perfectly justified in their anger towards Harper and the government for their approach and arrogance.  But considering the Conservatives backed down when challenged, they should have done the same.  Instead, they plowed ahead with their Marriage – all selling out their principles in some way.

For starters, Jack Layton campaigned continually on reversing the “$50 Billion corporate tax cut.”  This was one of his main campaign sound bites.  Day after day, he focused on the “kitchen table, rather than the boardroom table.”  He wanted to help “ordinary Canadians.”  Suddenly, now that he has the opportunity to sit in government, and in cabinet with 5 other NDP MPs, he decides that he will back down on that.  NDP supporters have said if they’d known he’d do this, they wouldn’t have voted NDP.

Stephane Dion said during the election that he couldn’t form a coalition with the NDP, because their economic policies wouldn’t work.  Six weeks later, a formal coalition is signed.  Stephane Dion also wrote the Clarity Act and has been a staunch federalist.  Yet, he has made a deal with a party whose stated aim is Quebec sovereignty.  Tomorrow, it’s rumoured that Jacques Parizeau will come out supporting the coalition.  Pierre Trudeau is likely rolling over in his grave right now!  Further, he is stepping down as a failed leader, with his dismal election perfomance, and yet he says he has the confidence of the house.  The question really should be, “Does he have the confidence of Canadians?”  How can he possibly become Prime Minister?  We don’t even know who the next leader will be.  Who decides to step up now that they have the opportunity to become Prime Minister?  Do the Liberals continue with their leadership process?

Gilles Duceppe still claims to be a sovereignist and yet has agreed not to bring up the Quebec issue for the 18 months of this agreement.  This is his party’s core value, and yet, he’s abandoned it to support the coalition.  While this one is more understandable, as sovereignty is not on the front-burner, it is still drawing the ire of Bloc supporters, hence the reason for Parizeau’s aforementioned support tomorrow.

What started as a bone-headed move by the Conservatives has turned into an unprecidented fiasco.  Considering the Conservatives pulled their finger away from the trigger, it should’ve all been over.  The three fairweather friends would argue that the Conservatives have presented nothing of substance, but the reality is that should they succeed, the Conservative budget would’ve been introduced before they will be able to bring anything forward.  It’s going to take some time to transition, then there’s the Christmas break, and then they will have to come up with the legislation for their stimulous package.  The fact is, they didn’t even give the Conservatives a chance to present a budget.

Honestly, I hope Harper asks for a prorogue of Parliament, that the Governor General allows it, even as early as it is, and that MPs have the chance to listen to the anger of their constituents.  When they come back in January, the Conservatives should be allowed to at least present a budget, then if they get voted down, the Governor General has her options.

Unfortunately, the Liberal, NDP and Bloc MPs, as elected representatives are within their right to do this, although I believe in the process, they are damaging themselves and the country.  I would hope that should the Governor General grant a prorogation, that MPs do listen to the anger of their constituents.  I also believe that the majority are actually against this coalition, for different reasons.  Obviously, Conservative supporters are, but I believe many Liberals and NDP are too.  By the sounds of things, so are the Bloc.  Hopefully, “cooler heads will prevail” and a tamer, more conciliatory government will move forward with what is best for Canada.

For a minority government to work, concessions do have to be made, but the way that the three party leaders have capitulated on major issues in the name of power is astounding.  Their supporters should be and are outraged.  As noted above, I am a Conservative and I am extremely disappointed in the approach my party has taken.  I was a former PC member, who has stood by, supporting the Conservatives fairly quietly.  I have purchased my membership again, because I support a lot of their policy.  I also purchased my membership to demand better of our politicians, specifically the Conservatives.  As I noted in a previous blog entry, we need to take an active role in holding our politicians accountable.  It’s time that we called on our politicians to stop behaving like they are on the playground and start governing.  For me, this starts by becoming active again at the grassroots level.  It’s the only way we will see change take place.  Whatever party you support, pick up a membership or become active in some other way.  This is the only way we will see change – there is no reason to expect that it can’t happen.  Apathy is not an option.  Let’s take this anger and use it to request better government and more respect.

This marriage of convenience can’t last – hopefully it gets anulled before anyone gets hurt.