THIS IS FUCKING AWESOME!

[the_siobhan]

Stolen from divine

I just wrote an email to the Governor General. I tried not to use too many exclamation marks.

Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome!

Comments

[griffen.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm a dunce... what does this mean?

[erik]

I'm not Canadian, but I think it means a new election.

[panic-girl.livejournal.com]

Nope.
There's a good rundown here (http://spacing.ca/wire/2008/12/02/tuesdays-headlines-72/) under the "Federal Coalition" heading. :)

[panic-girl.livejournal.com]

Or Sio will be able to explain it. Heh. :)

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

The exact opposite - the parties that came in second, third and forth in the election in October will form a clear majority under the coalition so it will eliminate the need for another election.

[erik]

Ah! That is awesome!

[redbird]

Awesome, and with little precedent. Harper keeps trying to play chicken, and has just discovered what happens when the other players don't blink.

[tide-and-time.livejournal.com]

Unless of course the Vice Regent refuses to dissolve the Government and allow this in which case Stephen Harper can then have her dissolve the Government and declare an Election.

Considering that the last time this occured in 1926 the Vice-Regent aka Governor General of that era refused the opposition parties request it is very likely the current one will do so as well.

[(Anonymous)]

I think it will depend on how much popular support the coalition can muster. I think she's unlikely to veto if the public can convince her that we want it.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Your quiet neighbours from the far north are going to load up on Tim Horton's and Molson, then drive south and torch the Whitehouse. Again.

Run while you still can.



(Probably)

[channonyarrow.livejournal.com]

Better do it quick - I don't think you want to cross Rahm Emanuel. *g*

Seriously, though, as I understand this, that's awesome!

Now if you'll excuse me I'm gonna go get lost in fantasies of what it might mean if Canada and the US aren't being led by complete cocktards. It's...it's an amazing thing. I think there are butterflies and puppies.

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

Our election in October resulted in a reinstatement of a minority government led by the Conservatives. They got less than half the votes, but more than anybody else.

This time round the other three major parties are offering to put aside their differences and form a majority government under the Liberal leader (whose party came in second) The Governor General of Canada, who is basically the Queen's rep, gets to say nay or yea. I just wrote to her to say OMGYES CAN HAZ GOVERNMENT THAT ISN'T THE DEVIL NOW PLZ!

I'm particularly thrilled by this because the Prime Minister of the coalition government is a major environmentalist and the Conservative leader is pro-global warming.

[inulro.livejournal.com]

and the Green Party are backing the coalition!

(I have gone away and done my reading and OMG HOLY CRAP!!!! I remember the Joe Clark minority gov't falling, but that's nowhere near as cool as the hostile takeover method.)

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

Good for them!

[(Anonymous)]

I'm thrilled at this, however there are a lot of people who are taking this as an attack against democracy. They feel they voted for the conservatives who got elected, and they feel it's being taken away from them I can sympathize to a degree. Still, I feel all the power in government shouldn't belong exclusively to one party anyway. Besides, how can this current gov. represent all it's citizens who didn't vote for them. It's nice to see people actually DOING something!

Jenn

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

Then they are stupid.

60% of people voted against the Conservatives. This coalition represents 60% of voters who chose another party. It's a more democratic arrangement than having the country ruled by a party who received the biggest minority of votes.

[sloot.livejournal.com]

On Tuesday Oct 14, before going to bed, a lot of people felt that democracy had not done it's part in installing Harper as PM.

The people who were sad on Oct 14 are happy now, and the people who were happy on Oct 14 are sad now.

There's slightly more of us than them though ...