Any of you Yanks still puzzled by what a minority government means

[JohnyCanuck]

under a parliamentary system of government like Canada's? Check out how Steve Harper the new neocon loving, Canuckistanian PM, explains it to Dubya. :rofl:

http://www.optimuscrime.com/2006/01/minori-whatnow.php

[madrchsod]

1. that is funny

i doubt bush understands the complexity of a parlimentary system of government. well duh, i remember now..he said it would be easier to be a dictator and it looks like he got his wish!

[ieoeja]

2. Loved it, but still confused.

Why would the NDP -- Conservatives don't have a majority even with the Bloq, correct? -- form a coalition with Conservatives to form a government instead of linking up with the Liberals to do so?

[JohnyCanuck]

3. Not much of a chance at all of an NDP/Conservative coalition

The NDP would be very unlikely/unwilling to get in bed with the Conservatives because they are at the opposite ends of the political spectrum. In other words, in reference to the comic linked above in the OP, it would be useless for Harper to count on any support for implementing his rightwing, neocon objectives from the NDP (New Democratic Party).

The separatist Bloc Quebecois is also socially and economically much further on the left than the Conservatives. Although together the BQ and the Conservatives in a coalition would control a majority of seats, it is not that likely that they would join in with the Conservatives on attempts to implement any of their larger neocon and socially regressive objectives. However, since the BQ's first loyalty is to Quebec rather than Canada, and they maintain a goal of a creating separate Quebec state independent of Canada, there is some concern that the BQ might be wiling to cooperate and compromise with the Harper and the Conservatives if Harper makes any moves towards decentralizing and devolving federal powers to provincial governments which is one of the aims of the conservative movement and the Conservative party.

This is the number of seats held by the different parties after the recent elections;

Total number of seats = 308
Number needed for a majority 155

CONSERVATIVES: 124
LIBERALS: 103
BQ, BLOC QUEBECOIS (Quebec separatist party): 51
NDP (by US standards very left wing socialists):29
INDEPENDENT (no party affiliation): 1