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PARLIAMENT AND THE ELECTION QUESTION Introduction As Parliament resumed its session in Two no-confidence motions were September 2009, Canada appeared to held in the House of Commons in Download the mp3 of this Introduction be poised on the brink of yet another September and early October—both of at newsinreview. federal election—the fourth in just over them introduced by Ignatieff’s Liberal cbclearning.ca. five years. The minority government of Party. Although his party and the Bloc Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Québécois joined forces to vote against Focus Harper was facing defeat if all three the government, the motions failed when This News in Review opposition parties—the Liberals, Bloc the NDP voted with the Conservatives. story explores the Québécois, and New Democrats— But the NDP’s leader, Jack Layton, tenuous situation joined forces to bring it down in a no- made it clear that his party’s support was in the House of confidence vote. For his part, Liberal conditional and should not be viewed as Commons in the fall leader Michael Ignatieff had pledged a “blank cheque” for the Conservatives. of 2009. In September, to do just that, signaling his party’s Layton faced criticism from some quarters the Liberal leader announced that his dissatisfaction with what he claimed was for his party’s decision to prop up the party would no longer the government’s underfunding of the Conservatives, but he argued that making support Stephen Employment Insurance program as the sure that out-of-work Canadians and their Harper’s Conservative reason. Ignatieff’s decision was a bold families received their monthly EI cheques government. Because one, given that opinion polls showed a was his party’s priority at the moment. the Conservatives steady decline in his party’s popularity But one issue soon emerged as a have only a minority and the possibility that if a new election possible weapon for the Liberals to use government, they need the support of at were called, Harper’s Conservatives against the Conservatives if an election least one other party might finally win a majority. was called. Ignatieff, and other prominent to stay in power. To But expectations of another federal Liberal members of Parliament (MPs), date, it had been the election in the fall of 2009 were quickly were critical of some government Liberals, but in the dispelled when NDP Leader Jack Layton members for displaying their political fall of 2009, that was decided to vote with the Conservatives party logo on cheques issued to their changing. after they promised to inject more local ridings as part of the federal money into the Employment Insurance economic stimulus program. The Liberals (EI) program. Layton argued that these claimed that this was a gross and partisan funds were necessary to provide greater abuse of power and called for the federal assistance to the growing number of ethics commissioner to investigate. But Canadians who were losing their jobs as winter approached and the likelihood as a result of the continuing economic of another election appeared to be recession. As the leader of the party that receding, at least for a few months, the claims to represent “ordinary working Conservatives could take comfort in the Canadians,” Layton sought to take credit fact that a slew of opinion polls indicated for forcing Harper to improve EI funding that support for their party, and its once- in return for his support in Parliament. uninspiring leader, was rising. To Consider 1. Why might Canadians be unenthusiastic about yet another federal election being called for the fall of 2009? 2. Do you think it is likely that the Conservatives will be able to win a majority in the next federal election? Why or why not? CBC News in Review • November 2009 • Page 6 PARLIAMENT AND THE ELECTION QUESTION Video Review Quote Pre-viewing Activity “How do I explain Before watching the video, discuss the following questions with a partner or in a to these people that small group. I keep letting this government go on 1. What is the difference between a majority and a minority government? and that is why in my What kind of government does Canada have now? hearts of hearts, after much reflection, we’ve decided as a party that we can’t continue to give the government confidence in the House of Commons.” 2. What issues do you think are likely to be important to Canadians when the — Michael Ignatieff, next federal election is held? Liberal leader, explaining why he wanted to force the government into an election (www.cbc.ca, 3. How would you evaluate the performance of the following federal October 1, 2009) political leaders: a) Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper b) Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff c) NDP Leader Jack Layton 4. If a federal election were held now, which party do you think would win? Would it be a majority or a minority government? Give reasons for your answer. 5. Do you think Canadians are in the mood for another federal election so soon after the last one, in October 2008? What gives you this impression? CBC News in Review • November 2009 • Page 7 Quote Viewing Questions “I think it would be Watch the video and answer the following questions. irresponsible to throw 1. Name the four political parties that hold seats in the federal Parliament the country into an election at a time and their leaders. when we have the possibility of getting a billion dollars more for the tens of thousands of families just in the 2. What issues did the Liberals give as reasons for wanting to defeat the next couple of weeks.” Conservative government in a no-confidence vote? — Jack Layton, NDP leader, speaking to CBC News on October 1, 2009, about the government’s plan to 3. Why did the NDP decide to support the government and thus prevent extend Employment another election? Insurance benefits 4. What popular new policy were Canadians worried might not be passed in Parliament if a new election were called? 5. Why was the NDP’s decision to support the government a change in policy on their part? 6. According to opinion polls, which party seemed most likely to win if a new election was called? 7. What did Stephen Harper do to attract favourable attention from the public? 8. What scandal emerged to give the opposition parties ammunition to use against the government? 9. Why did a federal election appear less likely at the end of October 2009 than it had just a month or two before? 10. Why might the government hope it is defeated in a no-confidence vote in Parliament? CBC News in Review • November 2009 • Page 8 Post-viewing Activities After you have watched the video, discuss and respond to the following questions. Your teacher may choose to place you in a small group with other students. 1. Based on what you have seen in the video, which federal political leader do you think emerged most positively from the debate over whether or not there should be another federal election—Stephen Harper, Michael Ignatieff, or Jack Layton? Explain the reasons for your choice. 2. Do you think it is appropriate for government MPs to use their political party logo on cheques issued to their ridings as part of the Economic Action Plan? Why or why not? 3. Why do you think Stephen Harper’s appearance playing the piano and singing a Beatles tune received such favourable attention? Do you think it should have done? Why or why not? 4. Why do you think the Liberals under Michael Ignatieff have seen their lead over the Conservatives in opinion polls vanish from the summer to the fall of 2009? CBC News in Review • November 2009 • Page 9 PARLIAMENT AND THE ELECTION QUESTION Minority Government in Operation Since the federal election of 2004, in yet another minority government. Did you know . Canada has experienced three minority Here is some background information In 1925, Mackenzie King’s minority Liberal governments: one led by the Liberals and on minority governments in Canada and government agreed two by the Conservatives. It is possible the advantages and disadvantages of this to implement old age that the next federal election may result type of government. pension legislation to keep the support Reading Prompt of Progressive and As you read the following information, ask yourself whether or not it matters if Labour party MPs. the next election ends in another minority government. The legislation was implemented in 1927 What is a minority government? federal elections from 2004 to 2009, and is still in place with each one resulting in a minority today. In Canada’s parliamentary system there government. are two possible types of governments: a majority and a minority. When a political Are minority governments common? party wins a clear majority of seats in a federal election, it is able to form a For many decades after Confederation majority government since the number in 1867, Canadian politics was basically of seats it holds is greater than that of a two-party system dominated by the all the other political parties combined. Liberals and Conservatives. Since Currently, there are 308 seats in the they were the only important parties Canadian Parliament—so a party needs competing in federal elections, one of to win 155 to attain a majority. them always won a majority government. However, in the October 2008 federal However, beginning in the 1920s, a election, the Conservatives won just 143 number of smaller, regionally based seats, 12 seats short of the magic number political parties emerged, marking the needed to form a majority.