Mulling over elections is never good. Keeping Canadians on their toes isn't either. An election is possibly the most tangible aspect of politics: either there is or there isn't one.
The Prime Minister's concerns about the functioning of Parliament in the upcoming session are legitimate. Many bills would probably be killed by the Liberals, and if little progress is made in the by-elections the Grits will have an ace up their sleeve. Combined with a bruising 2008 so far we're NOT in a good position to trigger an election in our favor.
Many mishaps could have been avoided or run better (Bernier comes to mind). Our communications strategy could have focused more on accomplishments and vision for Canada, rather than just rubbishing the products of Stephane Dion's vivid imagination. The water strategy, mentioned in the Throne Speech, is nowhere to be seen from where I am. We're not exalting our claim to Arctic sovereignty as strongly as it deserves.
The PM is right to meet with opposition leaders to discuss the agenda for the next session of Parliament. We do, however, know the response. Bloc and NDP will say no, Liberals will say "we'll see". Calling them into the open is the best tactic. A draft agenda with specification of planned bill content will do the trick. If Dion stays silent he signs his own political death warrant. If he rejects the proposal the PM can go to the Governor General and ask very serenely to return to the ballot box before the commencement of the fall session.
There's no doubt Canada will go to the polls in September or October. What the Tories must do is tap into the vast reserve of popular and needed measures that would demonstrate leadership and vision. Some bills before Parliament right now are political TNT, with countless interpretations and possible skewings. That's NOT a baggage we can bring to the polls.
If we want to repeat the job interview with Canadians we have to be ready. Arctic sovereignty plans, economic policy to stimulate growth, re-training funds for displaced workforce, environmental sustainability and recovery frameworks are measures Canadians look for in a manifesto these days. Arguing about unborn children and petty investigations will only land both parties in quicksand. These are tough times that call for mature behavior and mature solutions. The Tories are the mature party by definition, let's keep that perception up.
Formulate, Demonstrate, Captivate. That's what gets a good election campaign started.
1 comment:
I am going to make a prediction that Harper and his cabinet will resign from Governor-General Michaelle Jean's government. This course of action is sometimes performed in European democracies. Technically, Harper won't ask the GG to dissolved Parliament. The GG will have to dissolve Parliament because two of the opposition parties want and election.
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