Gov. Gen. rushes home to deal with political turmoil
Last Updated: Tuesday, December 2, 2008 | 4:52 PM ET
CBC News
Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean is returning home early from a state visit to Europe to deal with the upheaval on Parliament Hill, where she could decide the fate of the government in the next week.
Speaking to CBC News in Prague, Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean said she plans to return to Ottawa to give her full attention to the political upheaval back at home. (CBC)She was originally scheduled to wrap up a two-week visit to Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Hungary on Saturday, but will now return to Ottawa three days early on Wednesday.
"I have decided to return to Canada and I'll leave tomorrow," Jean told CBC News Tuesday in Prague.
"The role of the Governor General is to ensure that our governance is on the right path, so as soon as I'm back I will fulfill my duties in total sound judgment."
Jean's office said in a statement that the Governor General would still make the trip to Slovenia to meet with the country's president before departing for Canada later on Wednesday.
Though the position of governor general is largely ceremonial, representing Queen Elizabeth II as head of state, it also comes with some extraordinary powers.
In the current case, Jean must decide whether to call an election should the Conservatives lose next Monday's vote of confidence, allow the proposed Liberal-NDP coalition to govern or allow the Harper government to suspend the current parliamentary session to avoid a political showdown.
On Monday, the Liberals and New Democrats inked a deal to form an unprecedented coalition government if they succeed in ousting the minority Conservative government.
The Governor General called the process a "part of our democratic system" but said it "requires a lot of attention."
'My presence is required'
Jean said she had not spoken with Prime Minister Stephen Harper but made the decision herself to cut the visit short.
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, who would head the proposed coalition, said on Monday that he has sent the Governor General a letter stating he has the confidence of the House of Commons to form the government should the Conservatives be defeated.
But Jean gave no hint about whether she might approve such a coalition.
"The message in the letter is clear. It is part of the whole context," Jean said. "I think my presence is required in the country."
Parliament is set to vote on a Liberal no-confidence motion on Dec. 8. If Harper's government loses, Dion would request Jean to approve the proposed coalition government.
But the governor general could also decide to send Canadians to the polls.
There is also talk that Harper could try to block coalition efforts by proroguing Parliament, suspending it without dissolving.
When CBC News asked Jean whether she would approve such a measure, she said: "Before I answer this question, I have to see what the prime minister will say to me," she said. "I don't know exactly about any of his intentions yet."
Precedent for proroguing Parliament murky
Some observers believe Jean would likely deny a request to send Canadians to the polls, a decision that would have a historical precedent.
In 1926, then Gov. Gen. Lord Byng refused Prime Minister Mackenzie King's request to dissolve Parliament, instead inviting the opposition to replace him.
But it is unclear how Jean might handle an appeal to prorogue Parliament.
Nelson Wiseman, political science professor at the University of Toronto, said governors general have historically agreed to prorogue Parliament, but they've never been asked to do so so early after an election. The Tories were returned to power seven weeks ago in the Oct. 14 vote.
"Should she follow the convention of agreeing, or should she take into account what appears to be the sentiment of Parliament?" said Wiseman.
"Her job description is to find someone who can command the confidence of a majority, the House of Commons, and you've got a majority saying, 'We're available.'"
Wiseman dismissed Harper's attacks on the coalition, who reportedly called it an "undemocratic seizure of power."
"The Conservatives are arguing it's undemocratic, but actually elections don't elect governments," said Wiseman. "They elect Parliaments. Parliaments make a government. Parliaments can break a government."
Stimulus package a priority for coalition
Talk of a coalition government was triggered when Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivered his controversial fiscal update last Thursday.
Opposition parties blasted the Tories for failing to include a stimulus package for the slumping economy and accused the party of using tumultuous times to try to push through ideologically driven measures they said attacked women and public servants.
The mini-budget originally proposed a three-year ban on the right of civil servants to strike, limits on the ability of women to sue for pay equity and eliminated subsidies for political parties.
The Conservatives have since promised to present their budget on Jan. 27, with the suggestion it will contain a stimulus package, and have eliminated some of the most contentious issues from the fiscal update.
The coalition has vowed to make a stimulus package a priority, proposing a multi-billion dollar plan that includes help for the auto and forestry sectors.
Under the coalition accord, Dion would serve as prime minister until a new Liberal leader is chosen in May.
The coalition would have a 24-member cabinet with six New Democrats and 18 Liberals and would operate with the support of the Bloc Québécois for at least 18 months.
With 77 Liberal MPs and 37 New Democrats, plus the support of 49 Bloc members, the three parties have more seats than the 143 held by the Tories.
MP urges Harper to resign
Manitoba NDP MP Pat Martin called for Harper to resign "with the dignity that we would expect from a prime minister of Canada" instead of spending millions of dollars on a public relations campaign in an effort to stay in power.
He argued that a coalition government would provide more stability than the current administration he described as "aggressive and bullish" and suggested coalition governments could be Canada's future.
"In a way, this is the growing up of Canadian politics because maybe we will never see majority governments in this country again with four, five or six political parties in the House of Commons."
Speaking to CBC News, Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan countered by urging opposition parties to put the decision to Canadians.
"If they don't do that, it's a very sad day for democracy in Canada," he said.
He invoked former Liberal prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who crusaded against the movement to separate Quebec from Canada.
"I think it's up to Liberal leaders within that party to do what Pierre Trudeau would have said. [He] said 'Never ever will I deal with the separatists.' "
He pointed to the prime minister's son, Justin Trudeau, who holds a seat in the Commons, saying he's failing to do what his father would do under the circumstances — put the decision to Canadians.
