Prospect of Liberal-NDP coalition stirs classroom debate, radio chatter
Last Updated: Tuesday, December 2, 2008 | 1:36 PM AT
CBC News
NDP Leader Jack Layton, left, shakes hands with Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, centre, and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe on Monday after signing a coalition agreement on Parliament Hill. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)The chatter about a possible Liberal-NDP coalition government and what tactics the Conservatives could use to stay in power has reverberated well outside of Parliament Hill.
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion and NDP Leader Jack Layton signed a pact on Monday that would see them replace the Conservative government with a Liberal-NDP coalition propped up for at least 18 months by the support of the Bloc Québécois.
The Tory government has signalled it will consider all its options to thwart that move.
All of the political drama unfolding on Parliament Hill has turned into a great lesson in Canadian politics for students at St. Thomas University in Fredericton.
'This is just foolishness. It's just ridiculous what's going on. They're just like kids. Grow up!'— Judy Irvine
Lily Boisson, a first-year student from Haiti, said she knew very little about Canadian government before she enrolled in her political science class, and now she's getting a crash course.
"I may be a little bit more removed than some of my classmates, but I think it's really exciting to see the principle of responsible government in action," Boisson said.
If the opposition votes against the government in a confidence vote scheduled for Monday, Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean will be the one to decide whether to call another election or allow the Liberal-NDP coalition to go ahead.
The other option is for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to ask Jean to suspend Parliament until the new year, at which point the Tories would present their budget.
Tom Bateman, a political scientist at St. Thomas, said all of these options would lead to an interesting conversation between the prime minister and the Governor General.
"She doesn't even have to take the advice of the prime minister, whatever that is," Bateman said.
Jean will consider proximity of last election in coalition decision
Given it's been less than two months since the last federal election, Jean is likely to give greater weight to the coalition proposal than to the possibility of calling a new election, said Bateman.
She will consider how formal and detailed the coalition agreement is and how long the opposition parties have committed to voting together in order to govern, he said.
Jean has said she is cutting her European trip short to return to Canada to deal with the brewing constitutional crisis.
Andrew Lockhart, a third-year university student, said he didn't know why Canada needed a governor general until now.
"When we have political leaders debating over this and that and how to run the future of our government, it comes down to one person," Lockhart said. "I have faith in her to be a very fair and balanced person, so I'm excited to see her decision."
From university classrooms to shopping malls and call-in talk shows, reaction to the talk of a possible coalition was swift.
'So, you talk about your axis of evil: the Liberals getting in bed with the separatists and, of course, the NDP — spend, spend, spend.'— Robert Jackson, CBC caller
"We've done our voting. We put Harper back in," said Judy Irvine, a shopper at a Fredericton mall. "It's a minority government. Get on with it. You know, this is just foolishness. It's just ridiculous what's going on. They're just like kids. Grow up!"
CBC listeners in Moncton took to the airwaves Tuesday morning to pronounce on the prospect of a coalition between the Liberals and NDP —some rejoicing in it, others rejecting it.
Jennie Reid of Rexton said it's about time opposition parties took a stand against the Harper government.
"It is the most exciting thing that has happened in Canada in very long time," Reid said. "We live in a democracy, and here's a test for it. I think everybody's made it clear that the paramount concern for everybody is the economy, and that's the mandate for this particular coalition."
While Reid was enthusiastic about the coalition talks, many of the callers weren't so supportive.
"If the people want this sort of mess, then fine, but they certainly didn't vote for it," said Robert Jackson, another CBC caller. "So, you talk about your axis of evil: the Liberals getting in bed with the separatists and, of course, the NDP — spend, spend, spend."
Garny Wiseman likened the possible coalition to a coup.
"I call it a coup; they can call it what they like," Wiseman said. "It is really sad. … We have come through very difficult times, and why take a chance on something [if] we don't know what's going to happen?"
