Perhaps there isn’t one; an annual award for the best line in Canadian politics.
If there isn’t I want to start one on condition that for 2008 only I get to be judge and jury so that Globe and Mail columnist and renowned author Roy Macgregor can be duly recognized for what I will say, even though there remains 29 days in the year, is without a doubt 2008’s absolute best line in Canadian politics.
Yesterday, in his column Harper rising in ranks of out-of-touch prime ministers, Roy crafted the following gem “If Prime Minister Stephen Harper is indeed going down, it will be as the most successful politician in Canadian history. The man who united the right and the left.”
You gotta love it!
Earlier today and yesterday I received a number of emails from faithful readers of this space surmising I must be happy with the direction the political landscape seems to be headed; an obvious reference to talks of a Liberal, NDP, and Bloc coalition. I assume well-wishers would include Greens, if it had seats.
This leads me to believe some readers think, based on previous blog-posts, I favour a united Left. Not sure I ever voiced ideological support for a united left, but as a political strategy I’ve certainly indicated that as the quickest way for opposition parties to unseat the Harper Conservatives.
Whether the coalition (assuming it forms) remains a short term (2 year) arrangement or eventually transforms into a single party remains to be seen.
Frankly, I am still drawn to the “what we wanted versus what we got” argument as presented in my Oct 15th post and on Steve Paikin’s the Agenda on November 20th. The “Seat 100″ model reflects a desirable seat-spread among the five main parties, not two. In fairness, however, the model has not, to date, asked Canadians about a two party only configuration. Next time.
What seems clear, although I don’t believe anyone has asked the question, if in an election Canadians could only choose between the Conservatives and the LiNDBloc, who would they vote for? My hunch, is we would see a majority 60/40 split in favour of the new party.
Based on what I’ve learned the past few years about Canadians’ desire for an all-five party seat count, if I favour anything, it’s likely some form of proportional representation. What those proportions should look like and how we arrive at such a configuration is a whole other, and very lengthy, discussion.
The question I would have for the soon to be minted coalition which, as Roy MacGregor so aptly put it, Mr. Harper helped bring about, what is the likelihood members of the coalesced who previously indicated support for PR, will make it a condition of support?
I listened very carefully, twice, to Laytongate. It must be on next month’s agenda.