Friday, December 12, 2008

The Nation: Canada's Coalition Chaos

Canada's Coalition Chaos
by Will Di Novi, The Nation
Ignatieff has summed up his position on the progressive alliance as "[a] coalition if necessary, but not necessarily [a] coalition." His hesitation to unequivocally endorse the proposal may reflect public opinion polls indicating that support for the coalition is waning. This has been particularly pronounced since December 4, when Harper postponed a vote of confidence on his government by convincing Canada's governor-general to "prorogue," or shut down, Parliament until the end of January...

The current progressive alliance may well augur a growing--and necessary--unification of the Canadian left in response to the Conservative Party's resurgence over the past three years. The confidence votes and coalitions that may lie ahead would serve as a fascinating window into the strengths and weaknesses of Canada's parliamentary democracy.

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