Are we looking at Coalition politics?

“The situation could call for parties exploring coalition. NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair has expressed interest with the Liberals, but Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has ruled out a “formal” coalition. Does ‘No’ ever mean ‘no ‘in politics? Perhaps not always!

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was able to win a majority in the year 2011 with little more than 40 percent of the votes. It’s fair to say that the Conservative party was able to secure a majority despite most Canadians not favoring the party. But then most of the democracies work like that and Canada is not an exception. The majority didn’t come easy for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and perhaps it may not come for any party this time too. In days to come, the parties would be putting forth their election promises to the voters, and the opposition parties are expected to go to any length to remind the voters of the unfulfilled promises of the Conservative parties. In 2011, Prime Minister campaigned for an elected senate and pledged that “appointments would be made on merit based requirements”. He ended up appointing 59. Since Harper first formed government in February 2006, only three of the senators he has named were elected; all others landed up the easy way in the Senate. And a handful of those appointments have been giving their leader a rough ride, and may well end up making Harper an easy target of the opposition. Auditor General Michael Ferguson’s report uncovered as to how some senators charged the public purse for fishing trips, to have their staff attend celebrations of personal milestones, or to have used public funds for meals and living expenses. Conservatives carry the baggage of Mike Duffy, charged with 31 counts of fraud, breach of trust and bribery; Pamela Wallin is under RCMP investigation; Patrick Brazeau has also been charged with fraud. Harper’s promise on Foreign Credentials Agency, decreasing backlogs in immigration applications failed to take off, and making the citizenship process tougher for immigrants would also weigh in the minds of the voters when the Conservatives come calling for votes.

The major difference between the election in October and 2011 is that the voters will find it hard to believe the promises and may be little harsh to accept those made by Conservatives. The situation could call for parties exploring coalition. NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair has expressed interest with the Liberals, but Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has ruled out a “formal” coalition. Does ‘No’ ever mean ‘no ‘in politics? Perhaps not always!

Trudeau said that he doesn’t want to deny Canadians a choice at the ballot box, but his refusal to coexist with the New Democrats is not about principles but about election politics. Liberals and NDP differ on many issues, however Liberals may want him to reconsider it if they finish second in a Conservative dominated house. It’s the second placed party that looks for a coalition, while the third placed party doesn’t have much to assert about but to put forth few conditions. Hence in a case none of the parties get the majority figure, none would want to be placed the last. The NDP and Liberals would like to come together to deny power to Conservatives and assert that coalition is the answer to the change that the Canadians are looking for.

No wonder during the Campaign the parties would like to come out looking their best, and going by the results of the various opinion polls, the best of politics would be witnessed once the results are out and that too in line with the opinion polls.