2010: The year of the Harper majority

[HeresyLives]

DON’T LIKE Stephen Harper? Too bad for you. Like him or not, 2010 is the year he’s likely to cement his hold on power with a majority government.

Does it even matter whether Harper is loved, loathed or feared? Probably not. After all, Jean Chretien wasn’t really loved by Canadians, at least not as prime minister. Neither was Brian Mulroney. Yet both leaders won smashing victories and reigned as the alpha dogs of national politics.

It didn’t matter that they were unloved, because they were winners. In politics, that’s what matters. People don’t have to love their leaders to elect them. Mulroney was widely loathed, yet Canadians massively endorsed his leadership with their votes, not once, but twice.

Where Mulroney’s braggadocio grated on Canadian sensibilities, Chretien came to power with refreshing self-effacement. He was still the little guy from Shawinigan, who said before his first G7 summit: "I just want to do my best."

Yet after a few years in office, a repellent arrogance appeared in the man and few tears were shed when he retired. The ardour had cooled.

But who cares? To quote the American philosopher Tina Turner, "What’s love got to do with it?"


http://thechronicleherald.ca/Columnists/1160594.html

[BolivarianHero]

1. Such idiocy...

Mulroney was far less popular in 1988 than in 1984. He was only re-elected because the Liberals lied about opposing free trade to stop their left-leaning and nationalistic supporters from backing the NDP. The Liberals couldn't care less if Harper wins a majority. They've had the opportunity time and time again to reform our political system in a way that would lock the Tories out of absolute power forever, and they've failed to do so because they are too in love with the power than unfettered majority government patronage gives them when they win.

Experiences in MB and SK make me wonder if even the NDP would be much better about resolving this issue. (The PQ and the Reformistas have also reneged on promises of reform when they became powerful enough to succeed without a fair democratic system.)

[HeresyLives]

2. Well you refuse to vote anyway,

so I fail to see where it makes any difference to you no matter what happens in the country.

[BolivarianHero]

3. My vote isn't worth a damn where I live...

I'm in a Liberal stronghold, and our current system doesn't allow my vote to impact the results on the national level.

[HeresyLives]

4. Well you've also said you refuse to vote

unless the entire country rearranges it's voting system to suit you. But PR is simply not popular, so that's not gonna happen, and you've only dealt yourself out of any say whatever.

[BolivarianHero]

5. I'm moving to a competitive riding soon...

Then I'll vote.

[HeresyLives]

6. Well there are only two parties with any real chance,

of making it, so your vote won't matter anyway. In over 60 years, the NDP hasn't even made Official Opposition, much less govt. Even the Bloc has done better than that.

[RedSock]

7. he's had a majority for years

with the liberals chronically m.i.a. as an opposition party, harper has enjoyed a de facto majority for several years. and he has added to it now that he can seemingly send parliament home whenever he feels like it.

[HeresyLives]

8. Very true. Liberals have had a series of poor leaders,

and it doesn't look like it will get any better soon.