The Capture of Canada

Shockwaves are reverberating across the Dominion of Canada tonight. Without a shot having been fired, and less than two months since October’s federal election, a signed document is on its way to Gov. General Michaelle Jean--informing her that a Coalition of the Liberals, New Democrats Party (NDP) and Bloc Quebecois will now govern Canada. Snubbed by voters as recently as October 14, the Liberals and NDP are jumping into bed with a party that wants to separate from Canada, the Bloc Quebecois. It’s a grab for power that is going down without the courtesy of a single Canadian voter. For the naive, clinging to the belief that this could never happen in democratic Canada, under the Canadian Constitution, the Governor General must either approve the new government or call an election.

---

“In a historic political move, the leaders of the Liberals, NDP and the Bloc Quebecois signed a formal agreement Monday to co-operate as a coalition government for at least 18 months.” ([url=http://www.ctv.ca]http://www.ctv.ca[/url], Dec. 1, 2008.) “I’m pleased to announce we are ready to form a government,” said Dion, adding that the new government will govern “effectively, prudently, promptly and competently address these critical economic times.” While the power-lusting Dion, scheduled for replacement as Liberal leader in May of 2009 tries to portray the three-way takeover as a financial rescue, plans for the takeover predate the recession. In fact in an NDP conference call, covertly recorded by the Conservatives, Layton suggests that discussions with the Bloc “a long time ago” helped lay the groundwork for the opposition parties to quickly unite to confront Prime Minister Stephen Harper. “This whole thing would not have happened if the moves hadn’t been made with the Bloc, a long time ago and locked them in early. Because, you couldn’t put three people together in one or three hours. The first part was done a long time ago, I won’t go into the details,” the NDP leader boasted. In other words, while average Canadians worried about a worldwide recession, the parties their October 14 votes rendered as the Opposition, were working in the background to take over their country. The result of Canada’s October 14 election notwithstanding, the opposition Liberals intend to take down the government with a confidence vote next Monday. To bolster their audacious move, and to put the spin on their worry about the economy, Dion has come up with an economic team, comprised largely of recycled has beens that include former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna, former prime minister Paul Martin, former Liberal finance minister John Manley and former Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow. They’re calling the group the panel of “wise men” who would steer the coalition through the current global economic turbulence. Please Write to The Governor General and your MP Missing from the hype is the little fact that there was no protest or even a suggestion from the Canadian public seeking or demanding government by coalition. “We are ready to form a new government that will address the best interests of the people instead of plunging Canadians into another election,” said Dion. NDP leader Jack Layton said the agreement was one of “enormous optimism” and represents a new way of governing, where parties can put aside their differences for “the greater good of Canadians”. But like politicians the world over, the members of Canada’s four mainstream parties have spent a good deal of their time bickering with each other on Parliament Hill. Unlike the United States whose constitution seems to have been made vulnerable under the presidency of Barack Obama, until today Canada seemed to be in the clear of any dramatic political maneuvering. Layton, who has been called “the Obama of Canada” was in Denver to watch Obama’s acceptance speech at the DNC, where he later attended Democrat workshops. Canadians who care about democracy should note that the three Liberal leadership contenders agreed that they would support Dion as the leader of the new government coalition with the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois. “We are at one, the three of us, that the only person who can lead the party is the duly elected leader of the party Mr. Stephane Dion, Liberal leadership contender Michael Ignatieff said. Leadership contender Bob Rae, former first socialist premier of the Province of Ontario called the meeting, “historic, positive, upbeat and moving”. How was this possible when Canadian citizens were left out in the cold in this major decision? Opposition parties began meeting immediately after Finance Minister Jim Flaherty unveiled in his economic update plans to slash public funding for political parties. Canadians who don’t want to lose their country should deluge the office of Prime Minister Stephen Harper with emails: pm@pm.gc.ca