There is actually an election happening here in Canada. You wouldn't know it from this blog. That doesn't mean its uninteresting. Parliamentary elections are usually a lot more action packed than the interminable US type. For the non-Canadians, there are five important parties. That's right, five. From left to right, The Green Party, the Bloc Quebecois, the New Democratic Party, the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party. Despite the number of parties, the spectrum they cover is well within the footprint of the US Democratic Party. There is no real equivalent to the US Republican party. The joke in 2004 was that Kerry could never have been elected here either. He was way too right wing. Even so, there are elements in the Conservative Party that would like to move the country a lot farther to the right.
The Conservatives have a minority government and have broken their own law to call an election early in hopes of getting a majority. Stephen Harper wants that majority so much you can see his frustration every time he opens his mouth. Harper isn't a bad Prime Minister, but he's a control freak and a major asshole. Its only his government's lack of a majority that has kept his more nasty right-wing tendencies in check. A lot of Canadians are worried about what would happen if he gained his majority. Unfortunately, the left-wing vote is split between three parties, four in Quebec.
In addition, the not well liked Liberal leader Stephan Dion has stirred a lot of uncertainty with radical environmental plans. The plans are complicated, not easily explained, and probably expensive. Sensing a potential electoral setback, his party is not fully supportive of either the leader or his plans. Rivals had joined the party opportunistically before Dion was chosen leader, and have remained in expectation of another shot at the leadership soon after an election loss.
On the far left, well not that far left, the NDP is being challenged by the emergent Green Party. We currently have one too many parties on the left as a result. A rationalization would be good for the country. If the Greens manage to elect anyone, they will be the kingmakers if the result is a minority government. This kind of thing makes Parliamentary elections potentially a lot more fun than US elections. Usually not, though. A Prime Minister with a majority in Parliament wields a lot more power than a US President, but must use it with more finesse. They are accountable not only to the electorate, but to their party colleagues. Sitting Prime Ministers have been deposed as a result of party coups. It doesn't happen often, but it doesn't need to. The practice is a nice adaptation of Voltaire's famous definition of democracy tempered with the occasional assassination as the best form of government.
Although an admirer of the US system of government, with its elaborate checks and balances, I think the official adoption of a two party system has become a fatal flaw. Most other well functioning democracies have three main parties. This helps to keep everyone if not honest, at least on their toes. Parties can be and are completely wiped out from time to time. Unlike the leadership assassinations described above, a complete wipe-out is delivered by the voters. The Conservative Party, for example, was wiped out in 1993. They went from a majority to just 2 seats. The Party collapsed and was eventually "merged" with a different right-wing party that took the Conservative name. That Party was led by Stephen Harper.
Despite Harper's apparent advantage, the election isn't going well. Numerous blunders have kept them on the defensive. They've answered with some nasty personal attacks on Dion. The image above is from one of these commercials. They really piss me off, and I'm not usually a Liberal supporter. The ads reveal the nasty side of the Conservatives and give an indication of the approach they will take if they get a majority.
Right now, it looks like the result will be a Conservative minority somewhat larger than they had before the election. If that's the case, then the real action will start afterwards. Harper will have to answer to his party for three failures to secure a majority. Dion will have to fend off rivals smelling blood and the NDP may have to justify its existence.
