“May you live in interesting times” is an old curse often attributed to the Chinese. These are interesting times in Canada, as we’re embroiled in a so-called constitutional crisis even as our economy tanks.
Everyone knows the story. Our Prime Minister suffering from a horrible case of foot-in-mouth disease, and his loyal opposition have united to bring down the government in a Vote of Non-Confidence. That this extraordinary turn of events has happened just weeks after a national election is enough to make anyone’s head spin.
Stephen Harper brought this on the country, and he has no one to blame but himself. At a time when Canadians are watching their jobs disappear and their life savings diminish, he pressed his political advantage, and tried to cripple the opposition parties. So much for a new period of cooperation and working for common purpose in his minority government.
I’m not alone in believing that Canada needs an economic stimulus package in these uncertain times, especially since the rest of the world understands the need to jumpstart the low-carbon economy. The Labour government in Britain has pledged $200 billion to their green initiative, while President-elect Obama will be launching a $500 billion economic stimulus package that focuses on green industries.
The world is embracing renewable energy and energy efficiency, while our Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is touting the government’s GST cuts, and his plan to reduce corporate taxes by half a percentage point. That’s our made-in-Canada plan, and it’s going to leave our country at a competitive disadvantage for a generation or more.
We need the Liberal-NDP coalition. It comes with a stimulus package to invest in a low-carbon economy and offers us 18 months with parliament working in a serious and constructive mindset to solve our many problems.
But we won’t get that parliament without a fight.
The war of words is on. I’m honestly surprised by the vitriol now spouted by the right wing — suggesting that this coalition is a devious and dishonorable ploy to steal the country. On the contrary, the opposition parties are demonstrating the way parliament is supposed to work. As voters, we don’t determine who becomes prime minister. We vote for parliamentarians, and they decide who will lead our country.
The current Prime Minister is not supported by parliament. End of story. His days should be numbered. But he’s having none of that, and will most likely ask our Governor-General to suspend — or prorogue — parliament before the non-confidence vote can be recorded. That’s wrong-headed and exceedingly gutless. I always thought right-wingers were supposed to carry the courage of their convictions!
If you believe as I do, please get involved in the campaign to support the Liberal-NDP Coalition. Write a letter to Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean at: info@gg.ca
Talk to your friends. Write a letter to the editor.* Sign the petition at Avaaz; and the 62 Percent Majority petition run by the NDP. join one or more Facebook groups like the Canadians for a Progressive Coalition or the Canadians for a Liberal-NDP Coalition. Attend a rally. I’ve included a few links below.
This crisis in Canada is occurring as the world convenes in Poland to hammer out an international climate change agreement. Canada, under Stephen Harper, has become one of the world’s most divisive countries, doing everything we can to stymie climate progress. At the 2007 conference in Bali, our delegates, along with the Americans, were booed and hissed. That won’t be true this time around, because America has embraced change. Will Canadians do the same?
We don’t inherit this world from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. Let’s not fail them, or ourselves.
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*Letters to the editor:
Globe and Mail – Letters@globeandmail.com
Vancouver Sun – sunletters@png.canwest.com
Ottawa Citizen – letters@thecitizen.canwest.com
Edmonton Journal – letters@thejournal.canwest.com
Calgary Sun – callet@calgarysun.com
Chronicle-Herald – letters@herald.ca
Toronto Star – lettertoed@thestar.ca
