Jon Stewart did a great bit on the Canadian parliamentary non-confidence vote and subsequent closure calling it the greatest crsis since our re-invention of bacon!
The lampoon was superb, and Jon Stewart did seem truly envious that we could "make" a Prime Minister leave office (through the non-confidence vote process) because, as he said, "we've haven't had much confidence in our guy for quite some time now, and he's taking FOREVER to leave". The short video didn't mention anything about closing parliament though - from the American perspective, the prospect of a President just cancelling congress or the senate would probably just be too un-democratic to consider. Canadian, eh!!Watch the clip - click here.
In other recent Canadian political news, the Premier of Quebec, Mr. Jean Charest (formerly a federal Conservative golden boy until his move to the Quebec Liberal leadership - won an unprecedented 3rd provincial election victory. No other Quebec premier has won three consecutive terms. It also puts to rest to a certain extent, the rest of Canada's concerns about rising sovereigntist and separatist sentiments in the "Quebecois Nation". Charest is a strong federalist and has always refused to entertain the notion of another referendum on Quebec independence.
The margin of victory was narrow though, as the Parti Quebecois saw a resurgence of support - enough to pare the Liberal majority to three seats in the Quebec National assembly. It is without a doubt, due to recent "separatist" bashing by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in his televised address to Canadians last week, where he vowed never to strike a deal with the federal Bloc Quebecois, referring to them repeatedly as separatists bent on the break-up of Canada. PQ leader Pauline Marois herself has said, if Harper's blistering attacks helped anyone, they helped the PQ. Harper, a right-wing westerner, and former leader/member of the western Canada Reform Party, the precursor tio his minority Conservatives, (which itself had much to say about leaving the Canadian confederation), just does not have a handle on Quebec and that provinces legitimate aspirations. All that despite his own move to officially recognize a Quebecois nation. It is why Harper and the Conservatives have never won a majority in Canada.
Further news regarding the Coalition opposition to oust the minority Conseravtives took an interesting turn, with the appointment of Michael Ignatieff as interim party Leader for the Liberals. As Harper's bold move of locking the doors of parliament to avert being defeated by the opposition in a non-confidence vote has taken some steam out of the Liberal -NDP - Bloc Coalition - Ignatieff's appointment (he still has to win the vote at the Liberal convention) is most likely a negative move for the Coalition. Most Canadian's don't trust Ignatieff's motives for seeking Candian political power, and it's unlikely he could ever win a majority. Further, Ignatieff is distrustful of any cooperative agreements with the NDP.
Stay tuned to the Canada News Commentary blog here for developments.
Blog author - Andy C - is off for one week taking part as a team leader of a volunteer trip to Galveston County, Texas for Hurricane Ike recovery and re-building efforts, the second trip this fall.
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