canadian politics, or, political childishness 101

Remember that video I posted awhile ago?

Okay, it's more true than you might realize. And I have proof.

This is what happened last Wednesday. Basically, the Conservatives decided to get rid of this system wherein, during the post-election season, parties get paid $1.95 for every vote they received. Imagine the cries of pain from the oppositions parties. And here is pundit Andrew Coyne's response:

I don’t care what their motivations are: it’s the right thing to do. The public subsidy came in with the Chretien campaign finance reforms in 2003. But it was entirely contrary in spirit. ...Whether to contribute to a political party, and how much, and to whom, should be a private, personal matter — voluntary, individual decisions....By abolishing [the $1.95 “allowance”], the Tories are finishing the job Chretien started, of creating a truly citizen-based campaign finance system. Or not quite: even without this particular subsidy, the parties would still benefit from the hefty tax credit on political donations (the formal beneficiary is the donor, but in practice the incidence is shared), while candidates would still have their expenses partially reimbursed. But it’s certainly a big step in the right direction.

Ignore the howls of the opposition. It is entirely within their power to do as the Tories have done, and develop a large base of individual contributors....Ignore, too, the complaint that somehow this cripples the political process. Much of the subsidy we have been paying these people goes to the very things that are currently poisoning the political process: over-priced strategists and attack ads, push polls and focus groups. Who needs it?

Still not convinced? Two words: Bloc Québécois. Look at the numbers above. We, the taxpayers of Canada, are underwriting 86% of the expenses of a party whose sole raison d’etre is the destruction of the country. Let them work their treason on their own dime.

So then a few days passed, and Harper (the prime minister) revealed more of his party's economic plans (which the oppositions parties also didn't like) and by the weekend, we got word that the Liberals, the NDP , and the Bloc were planning on joining forces--becoming a brand spankin' new party (for 30 months only). Because together, they can form a majority government, overturning the minority Conservative government. Now the only thing to decide is who gets to lead this little coup. "The Coalition for Canada," they call it. "An exercise in nation building," they say.

I call it: the revenge of the losers. So the Conservatives drop funding to the political parties and this is how they respond? "We're kicking you out! Take that!"

Now who said Canadian politics was boring?