The Liberals, NDP and Bloc have all stated that the Conservatives should not be upset at this coalition, as they tried the same thing with Paul Martin’s goverment. Here is some of the content of that letter, containing the supposed coalition, signed by Stephen Harper, Gilles Duceppe and Jack Layton:
“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…”
This was not a coalition being formed to take power, it was a request that the Governor General consult with them before calling an election. They may have then looked at possibilities to work together for a period of time, although there were no guarantees. This also would’ve been as a result of a request for dissolution, rather than a power grab. Yes, they talked with the Bloc, but they did not set up a coalition, depending on their support to pass legislation and to stay in power.
This was not the same thing as the Marriage of Convenience that we saw consumated on December 1st, which was an unabashed power grab. After Paul Martin’s government fell on the first ever non-confidence vote (Prior governments fell their own legislation), there was an election. In this circumstance, should the government fall, there should be now, too.
The Liberal and NDP allegations that Conservatives “did the same thing in 2004″ as they are now is revisionism at it’s finest. There was never a coalition between the Bloc and the Conservatives.
On the other hand, every time the Conservatives and Bloc voted together in prior parliaments, the Liberals and NDP accused them of being a Conservative-Bloc alliance, calling it a terrible thing, bringing up the fact that the Conservatives were dealing with the separitists. Talk about hypocritical!
It’s time that all the MPs come to their senses and actually govern. They need to stop the rhetoric and get back to their jobs, bringing forward legislation to help Canadians.
