Recent public opinion polls suggest that the federal Conservatives have a good lead over the opposition Liberals, led by Michael Ignatieff. They reveal that the general support for the Harper government rests on the fact that so far Canada has avoided the full effects of the Great Recession. The Harper government has done everything it could to prop up the large bubble in the Canadian housing market. While this has been appreciated by current home owners, there are indications that this bubble is about to deflate, as it has in all the other industrialized countries except Australia. It would seem that this is the best time for the Harper Conservatives to hold an election. The housing and economic situation could be quite different in the fall.

The March 2011 EKOS poll, which is a well-respected stratified sample of 2500 Canadians, reveals that the Harper Conservatives have a hard core of 35% support, but with little support among the other 65% of the population. EKOS is projecting another Conservative minority government.

The question for the majority of Canadians is when will it be our chance to have our government? The right wing ideology of Stephen Harper’s government does not represent the majority of Canadians. Far from it. On the major issues, take a look at the annual public opinion survey done by the Environics Institute: Focus Canada 2010.

A majority of 55% believe that the existing taxation system is unfair, while 70% say that taxes are good. A majority of 66% recognize that the gap in income between the rich and the poor is widening and 81% say measures should be taken to reduce the gap. When it comes to government spending, 78% say the highest priority should be eliminating child poverty while only 26% say any priority should be given to military spending.

There is a strong difference of opinion on the “hot button” issues identified with the Harper Conservatives. A majority of 58% favour emphasis on crime prevention compared to only 36% who want to stress punishment. Support for gun control is 55%, a majority of 68% approve of same sex marriage, and 74% support the right of a woman to have an abortion.

Why we need the option of a coalition government

But given the distortions of the Canadian first past the post electoral system, how can we, who are in the majority, get a government which supports our political goals? Apparently only by adopting some form of coalition government. Such governments are the norm in the industrialized western countries. There are coalition governments now in Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. We should all remember that in 2004 Stephen Harper formally asked the Governor General to consider appointing a coalition government of the Conservatives, the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois.

But forming a coalition of the majority has not been on the agenda of today’s opposition political parties and their leaders. They choose to put their first priority on boosting their own perceived interests rather than the general good of the majority of Canadians. That is undoubtedly why voter turnout has been declining, to only 57% in the 2008 election. It would be no surprise if it were even lower on May 2. Hopefully, after electing another minority Conservative government, Canadians and their political parties will decide it is time to seriously address our unrepresentative political system.

John W. Warnock is Regina author and political activist.

Comments

PB Written by ivan on 2011-03-31 18:06:05 " The system would win because the system always won and the system was our curse" John LeCarre    "If voting worked it would be made illegal" E. Goldman    "It was not by being heard but by staying sane that you carried on the human heritage" Orwell    In this next federal election, as usual, the majority of ballots will be redundant because of the archaic party system. Three referendums on PR have justly been shot down because they were so convoluted in trying to come to grips with a system that is as big a problem as the market economy that has become our culture. And only a handful of people in Calgary will get to elect the autocrat ( because of that party system) who will finish dismantling what remaining good exists in the Canadian culture. If there is any hope, it will only come about through making democracy viable, and we know that the corporatists will do whatever is necessary to keep that from happening.  Keep it simple. The Preferential Ballot, PB, and hopefully mandatory voting are the only goals, in my opinion, of progressive politics. The party system with its leader focus, old- boys backroom control, vacillating ideology and adverserial methods is a problem, a big problem, and it's not likely to change soon. Conventional politics will never succeed in dealing with the debt and degradation that will be the legacy of our era, because conventional politics is the problem. I find it very hard to accept that so many talented people still believe we can work within the "system" and save the planet.  PB first and then if group ideology (party politics) evolves, so be it. But NONE of our political parties advocates electoral reform above all else, none! To believe that the NDP or Greens are going to form governments someday that will stop or work successfully within the market economy, is to me hopelessly naive and a misdirection of the energies which should focus on only one issue, electoral reform, that is, democracy.  Polls and email petitions mean nothing in a capitalist system where only money and violence succeed. We need to begin at the munincipal level where education would be easier and representatives would, hopefully, be more willing to represent constituents and not some confusing ideology.     My two cents, Ivan Olynyk, Meacham    PS. The PM now tells the GG whether he should shut down government OR give someone in opposition a chance to form a government, thanks to PET. (the GG used to have a say) The PM has total say and it was Stevie 'Heil' Harper who singlehandedly caused the last two elections by not giving the GG a choice. (of course the former Bush boys in the backroom toilet probably had a say also)              null

Woe to disgruntled opposition Written by bevully on 2011-04-14 13:56:59 It does make me sad when we are all pitted against each other in order to have someone govern us as a nation. I'm afraid it has been going on too long to be able to change it overnight. I feel secure that Harper is the best man for the job right now. He is a decent man and doen't deserve derisive nicknames. I'm pulling for all of us. I'm afraid a socialist government is a losing proposition, look at the Land Bank in Saskatchewan. I hope we never look back. Regional representation is something I'd like to learn more about but I don't want another centralist government leaving western Canada out of the loop. Not a choice.  Let's try to act with some character and leave out the name calling. Bev Ully, Unity, SK

The mauority that counts are Conservativ Written by bevully on 2011-04-14 14:51:36 A coalition of losers is not a viable government. A coalition of the majority government with an opposition party is a legitimate coalition. A party that loses the election has no ethical right to supercede the winning party. A larger number of voters have chosen the Conservatives making them our government. I resent anyone who would claim they can discount these larger number of voters. I'm sick and tired of the behaviour in the House of Commons. The opposition parties want their way or the highway, that's why there have been so many elections. How would you feel if your choice of government was in and the 3 opposition ganged up on them to take control for themselves. It seems to me the opposition parties aren't exactly even getting along much less able to work together and I don't want them even to think about pulling this prank. No character.null

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