Comments on: Support the Campaign for a Progressive Canadian Coalition Government, eh!

By: ryan k

ryan k — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:38:05 +0000

Most dont want a coalition becAUSE 62% of us voted for the other three parties. we would be perfectly happy with a conservitive government that dosn’t completly ignore us. harper has every right to be priminister, but if he dosnt have the suport of the house how can he govern. all minority governments that worked couldent ignore the other parties or they would be forced out. all of us who voted elected this parlement. our government should be formed by this parlement. coalition or conservative. either way we have to stop the bickering and get to work.

By: adamq

adamq — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:08:56 +0000

Coalition or Conservatives?? you decide

http://www.democracyincanada.ca

By: right wing nutjob

right wing nutjob — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 20:30:01 +0000

So I guess because 62% of the people didn’t vote for the Conservatives, people think there should be a coalition????????? Following that logic I Guess that means the Toronto Maple Leafs get their name on the STANLEY CUP because people in Toronto didn’t want the Red Wings to win.. Plus Toronto has more fans than most of the other teams.

By: FederalistCanuk

FederalistCanuk — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 18:51:57 +0000

There’s no way this country should include any of the separatists in our government. The coalition is a greedy bunch of has beens who can’t win an election, so they have to make deals with the devil (B Q).

By: janeg

janeg — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:40:53 +0000

Am I missing something? How can dividing the country be a good thing? For the Liberals & NDP to say that there fight is “all about the economy!” Is simply not accurate at all. In fact, their hate for Harper is greater than their care for the economy or their respect for the political process.

How can the Liberal Party and the NDP make a deal with a group who does not even believe in Canada as a unified country? During the election Dion denied forming a coalition – apparently that meant nothing The most important message is – right, wrong or indifferent, this is not about any particular party, should the coalition be allowed to stand and set precedence, no Minority government elected from this point on would have any power to govern despite their mandate FROM THE PEOPLE? Do you fully understand what that means? Nothing worth having comes easy – the NDP and Liberals need to be reminded.

Tell me why do you think it is okay to steal my vote? ALL Canadians vote? The “coalition” did not even allow for the budget to be dropped in January! Why because they don’t care, they are looking to steal Canadians right to vote – you should care! And perhaps a coalition government works in Europe however, have you looked at the price those countries pay?

With regard to the Governor General in the west every grade 6 kid knows the following: The GG is an unelected rep of the crown. She can never interfere in the day today goverance of the country. After an election has been decided the GG appoints the PM who is the leader of the party with the most votes. After that appointment she acts on the advice of the PM. Not on her own accord not on the advice of the opposition, Only on the advice of the PM. If she totally disagrees with the advice she can direct an election to be called. The PM remains PM until he is replaced in an election. If he faces as non confidence vote he goes to the GG again and tells her he is turning the keys over to the coalition or he is not. If not an election is called. He remains PM until replaced in an election. If he resigns he remains PM until replaced. At no time can she lead the government and or at no time can Canada be left ungoverned. The PM does not need her consent, she either agrees or not. She followed the Law.

If the shoe were on the other foot, you too would be outraged that your vote was being stolen! Think about it! It is wrong to support part of a government that is dedicated to breaking up our great country! How is a “leader” like Dion, whose own party did not even support/want him just 5 short weeks ago – now okay to run our country as a PM?

By: yvette

yvette — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:35:55 +0000

Does anyone recall the round table election debates?
The english one with all 5 leaders?
How people said that the other 4 leaders ‘ganged up’ on Stephen Harper?
How Harper tried to demonstrate that his views were very different than the other leaders’ views?
While not agreeing on everything and, of course, claiming that each leader’s own party would do best (it was an election of course), nonetheless it seemed there was much more common ground between all 4 parties than the conservative outlook.
That’s why I believe a coalition run government would be more likely to be able to lead a productive government. At least they deserve a chance to try. After all, they were all elected legally and democratically.

By: yvette

yvette — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:20:56 +0000

I’m sick of hearing people claim that the idea of a coalition of elected officials running the government is undemocratic. In fact, it is beautiful democracy and is what our constitution permits when a minority government loses the confidence in the house. Period.
Public opinion doesn’t count. Public opinion doesn’t have the right to override the constitution. Public opinion counted during the election. After such a dismal turnout it’s surprising to me that so many people are complaining about our democracy. Also, if Harper wanted the right to enjoy complete freedom in governing the country he should have secured a majority in the house. He didn’t. Why not? Because the majority of Canadians didn’t support him and his party. The majority of Canadians voted for MP’s that happen to belong to other parties. Two of which are willing to govern together and command the confidence of the house. Something Harper is unable (and with this unprecedented pause) – unwilling to do.
Our parliamentary system is very clear. When a governing party loses the confidence of the house (can’t pass a budget, can’t come up with legislation that the majority of elected officials can agree on) then they lose the right to govern. Please stop spreading lies that this is undemocratic. It is the way our system has worked for over a century. Harper and his media machine do not have the right to trample the law of the land. Harper played a game of Russian roulette when he thought because we just came out of an election that he’d stuff his ideology down the throats of our elected members. They called his bluff. He is like George Bush who lies to his country’s citizens on a regular basis. He didn’t just come to power. He’s been PM for a long time now. During the election he claimed he was working on a budget. He refused to say what the hell it was (and during an election!) but he claimed to have one in the works. Then he said he’d vote on it last week. Then he said he’d vote on Monday. Now he wants more time. Al the while claiming that he wants the government to get down to work. His idea of work is to shut down parliament for almost 2 months! All this in the middle of a financial crisis he claimed didn’t exist in Canada just 2 months ago during the campaign. Even though it has been proven now that while spewing his lies to Canadians he KNEW that the government ran a deficit in August!
He behaves like a dictator. Shutting down parliament when it’s convenient. Delaying votes when it suits him. Spending 300 million on an election to try and win a majority because he thought the time was right… even though he passed a law stating that a minority government couldn’t call snap elections but would have to wait for a fixed election date. He is a Bushesque dictator and although Canadians are confused by politics right now, and although his opponent is viewed as a nerd not able to lead a country (read:judged on his appearance not his ideology).. inspite all of this, I believe Canadians will get fed up with a man who tries to govern as if he has a majority rather than a minority. He goes out of his way to pit east against west, to alienate the Bloc Quebecois (elected by Quebecers), he tries to fool Canadians into thinking non-confidence votes are undemocratic, to pretend there is not a global financial crisis that needs urgent attention, to appease oil companies rather than act on pressing environmental issues that we are all accountable for.
He is a bully. I pray that Canadians will wisen-up and reject this bully and the dangerous path away from true/beautiful democracy that he is leading us on.
Oh… and those that claim we elected a PM. YOU ARE WRONG. Educate yourselves in our parliamentary system. We are not like the states where we can vote for a president. We vote for an MP to act as the voice for our riding. Whatever party has the most votes forms the government. But it can only work if he/she has enough MP’s who will support (through votes). If not, it is LAW that if there is another way to make government work it must be given the chance. That is the job of the GG and we’ll see her non partisan rule in action if there is a non-confidence vote in January.
It is beautiful democracy. If you don’t agree.. go get yourself a Iranian passport, or maybe a North Korean passport where you’ll be pleased to be led by the nose by a dictator who makes up the rules as he goes along instead of respecting the rule of law which governs the land.

By: bigassbikerboy

bigassbikerboy — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:41:32 +0000

and screw your petition…..Jack Layton was on TV 3 WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION talking about a coalition government should the conservatives win a minority… all this talk about how the parties should work together is B.S. It’s all about how our tax dollars shouldn’t be supporting political parties.. ARE you happy that part of your taxes go to ALL the political parties???? If you are hard left liberal ..part of your paycheck supports harper… if you are Right wing .. part goes to the Bloc… thats what this fight is all about ..Harper wants to stop this practice…EDUCATE YOURSELVES

By: bigassbikerboy

bigassbikerboy — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:35:17 +0000

Thank you to all the idiots who threw their vote away voting for the Pothead (green party) and the Communist (NDP)… I heard so many people saying “well we didn’t want to give the Conservatives too much power so i’m glad there is a minority” after the election. Now you see how dangerous it is “giving the greens legitimate party status”. Crap …. vote Conservative or Liberal and quit wasting everyone’s freaking time….I hope they call an election sooner than later, i Don’t think Harper has any idea how popular this will make his party now..

By: ben

ben — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:52:59 +0000

Douglas is an idiot, you cant honestly think that eliminating high wages and pensions will make this country a better place, and if you do, you need an economics lesson

the more people with good job security and good pay the less homeless people we have and the more productive our country is. you can defend the growth of GDP till your blue in the face but that doesnt change the fact that it is completely unrelated to the well being of the population.

what is truly needed in this country is more detrerrent regarding the sending of jobs overseas, more tax cuts for poor people (not rich people) and more money towards education. Stephen Harper is not the man to provide any of this, he supports purely oil sands related protection, and is selling canadians short.

the right wing of politics is about to be cut off because it is diseased and backward thinking, its time we focused on PEOPLE instead of OIL or BUSINESSES or GLOBALIZATION or any other thing that the Cons support.

in other words, dont get brainwashed by HIS fascist ideals of absolute authority and his policy of disregarding the opposition and the larger population of voters by refusing to work TOGETHER, Harper is not a team player and is not a suitable fit for PM at this time. 20 years ago perhaps but certainly not now.