Minority: Does it Work?

The Editorial in yesterday’s (May 10) Nugget “Minority: Hey, it works!” needs a close second reading to see beyond the shallow analysis offered of the recent actions of our government in Ottawa.

Dalton McGuinty struck a promised deal with a desperate Paul Martin that is little more than an election promise. Indeed, the opposition promised the same deal. Paul is criss-crossing the country promising money and deals to anyone who will accept a post-dated cheque. Does Martin have the money in the bank or is he going to take it out of our Ontario pockets to meet all these obligations that were never a part of the federal budget?

Does Dalton think that recycling Ontario’s money will fix any problems within the equalization payments system? What about all the other partners in this deal? By the time an election is called, Martin will have so disrupted the equalization system that it will have to be rehashed in calmer times. As Williams in Newfoundland-Labrador showed, Martin will do almost anything to appease a voter when backed into a corner. Calvert in Saskatchewan is next as the Prime Minster works his way across Canada, our chequebook in hand. It seems he skipped Quebec as the Sponsorship deal had already bought votes there for Chrétien.

To say that minority government works because the NDP blackmailed the Liberals into changing their budget plans is not a sign that our elected officials are working together for our benefit, but that they will do anything to hold onto power. Sure, the Liberals had promised more money for health, child care and education for the past umpteen years and never delivered – because they were assured of re-election by voters with short memories. And the chances are, we in Ontario will send them back again.

If we are so enamoured of Layton’s policies, why did we not vote in a NDP government last time? Was it because we believed that the NDP policy was not fiscally responsible? Yet now the editorial lauds a deal which flies in the face of any sensible financial planning. Can you imagine our City budget chief switching plans mid year, changing his philosophy on sound monetary management to one where council gives Reserve Fund money to anyone who comes knocking at the chambers doors?

Why would Canadians in any province wish for majority government? Because this is about a country, not a province. If the provinces become anymore self-serving we may have to re-visit our confederation, and no one wants that. We need a strong central government and electoral reform is the answer, not the compromising for votes that a minority government fosters.

As for wondering what the Liberals under Chrétien did for us, the Nugget was right in their assessment, but there were a few good years there for most people. We would have thrown them out of office if that was not so, wouldn’t we?

What we are seeing now, both inside the House and in the desperate scurrying from province to province for votes, is the need for electoral reform. Dick Tafel, on the same page in the Nugget, makes the case for Proportional Representation. Perhaps it is time.