Opposition Officially Signs Coalition Agreement And Reveals How It Will Work

There is an ancient Chinese curse that says “may you live in interesting times.”

 

Few have been more interesting than the last few days in Canada, one of the strangest and most unusual in this country’s storied history.

 

And it’s far from over yet.

 

The latest bizarre series of events from Ottawa came late Monday afternoon, when the members of the would-be ruling coalition – the Liberals, the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois – all came together to sign the agreement they hope will create a new federal government in this country, just six weeks after we spent millions choosing the latest one.

We now know the details of what that new entity could look like as soon as next week.

As expected, it will feature a power base combining the numerical strength of the Liberals and the NDP with support from the Bloc Quebecois.

The leader of the new regime will apparently be Stephane Dion, whose defeat was so bad in last month’s vote that he was forced to step down and will still be replaced next May.

But under the plan, he will be the new and perhaps the unlikeliest Prime Minister in Canadian history.

Dion knows the agreement, which will involve bringing down the Tories next week during a non-confidence vote, is controversial and that many Canadians aren’t happy with this stunning turn of events.

But he believes it’s the only way to save a sinking economy and a listing ship of state.

“Canadians elected 308 members of parliament in October, not just Stephen Harper,” Dion intones. “This is the parliament they elected. We must try to make this parliament work.

“After these negotiations, I’m very pleased to announce that we are ready to form a new government that will address the best interests of the people instead of plunging Canadians into another inaction. This will be a Liberal-led government in collaboration with the New Democratic Party and with the support of the Bloc Quebecois.”

NDP leader Jack Layton, who comes the closest he’s ever been to a power broker under the arrangement, was also adamant this has to happen for the good of the country.

“We have not made these choices lightly,” he assures. “Our decision was made in full seriousness and clear knowledge of what’s at stake.”

What will the new entity look like? It will have 18 Liberals and 6 NDP ministers, with the all important Finance Minister coming from the Grits.  

The Bloc, which will not have any representatives in the new cabinet, will support the new group until 2011.

 

The first order of business will be an economic stimulus, the missing element that the parties accuse the Harper government of omitting in their financial statement last week. It will contain help for the auto industry, forestry, public transit and more. 

 

What happens next is anything but assured.

The statement is supposed to come to a delayed vote next Monday. When it’s rejected, the government will fall and this new triumvirate will head to the Governor General to ask her to allow them to rule.

Michaelle Jean  can grant their request or order another election – something taxpayers clearly don’t want.

Despite the end run, there are a few options still open to Harper, all of them desperation ploys. He’s already put off the confidence vote for a week, and can prorogue Parliament, delaying things further, or stage a surprise end run and try and call another election himself – with the Governor General’s approval.

 

Jean, the other main player in this endless drama, is still on tour in Europe and is due back next week. She’s been briefed on what’s going on and the day she returns may tell the tale about which maneuvering will win the day in this bizarre game of chicken.

 

Harper was clearly rattled during Question Period as he was attacked from all sides, and at one point accidentally referred to the Speaker as “Prime Minister” to great guffaws from the House.

 

Just a little over a month after winning back an increased minority government, Harper now faces the almost unbelievable fate of losing power – and perhaps, his post.

 

“This is a gross miscalculation by Stephen Harper and the Conservatives,” suggests CityNews Political Specialist Richard Madan. “[There was] no need to put in the public financing in the economic update that threw parliament upside down. And saying this was a poison pill, another gross miscalculation … An unimaginable situation from just six weeks ago and certainly internally the knives are out for Harper.”

 

Madan describes the atmosphere in Ottawa as “chaotic” and “toxic.”

 

And everyone is choosing up sides.

 

“My constituents have spoken and the marching orders is to take them down,” declares Liberal Jim Karygiannis.

 

But Tory MP Pierre Poilievre begs to differ. “They’re engaged in a power grab to reverse the results of the election,” he fumes. “They have been planning this for months.”

 

The Tories vow they’ll do everything in their power – while they still retain any power – to head off what they call an “irresponsible and undemocratic” act. That includes proroguing Parliament until January, when their next budget is due.

 

Canada has only had one other coalition government in its history and to find it, you have to go back almost a full century. It came in 1917, and centered on a conscription plan for World War I.

 

Now there’s a war of a different kind but this is less the Battle of Hill 60 and more like the Battle of Parliament Hill.

 

And no one knows who’s going to win.

 

Viewer vitriol: Canadians express anger at coalition

How did we get into this mess? Find a timeline here.

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Text Of Letter To Canadians From Dion, Layton and Duceppe

To our fellow citizens,

Canada is facing a global economic crisis. Since the recent federal election, it has become clear that the government headed by Stephen Harper has no plan, no competence and, no will to effectively address this crisis. Therefore, the majority of Parliament has lost confidence in Mr. Harper’s government, and believes that the formation of a new Government that will effectively, prudently, promptly and competently address these critical economic times is necessary.

The contrast between the inaction of Mr. Harper’s government and the common action taken by all other Western democracies is striking. We cannot accept this.

A majority of Canadians and Quebecers voted for our parties on October 14, 2008. Our Members of Parliament make up 55 percent of the House of Commons.

In light of the critical situation facing our citizens, and the Harper government’s unwillingness and inability to address the crisis, we are resolved to support a new government that will address the interests of the people.

Today we respectfully inform the Governor General that, as soon as the appropriate opportunity arises, she should call on the Leader of the Official Opposition to form a new government, supported as set out in the accompanying accords by all three of our parties.

Respectfully,

Hon. Stephane Dion
Leader, the Liberal Party of Canada

Hon. Jack Layton
Leader, the New Democratic Party of Canada

Gilles Duceppe
Leader, the Bloc Quebecois