Post-election pontifications

Voter apathy seems rampant in Canada these days, with just overhalf the eligiblevoters casting a ballot. Why? Does the average voter feel indifferent? Impotent? Or are we just too complaisant and comfortable?

And why did the Conservatives fail in Quebec? Why, after Harper's dalliance with the separatist sentiments and “a Nation within a Nation” –whatever that means –did they lose big in Quebec. Harper's subsidy reduction and careless comments about the average person supporting the arts elite cannot be the whole story.

Have majority governments become next to impossible? Why did so many people not bother to vote? Is the system is broken? Well, it might not be broken, but it is in need of a little remodelling, or dare I say, repairs.

The proliferation of parties is especially bothersome in a federal state such as ours. You have one-issue organizations and special interest groups gravitating to marginal parties, making if difficult for any party to get a majority. The confluence of interest groups and regional/provincial differences make political cohesiveness and solidarity much more difficult, or nearly impossible to achieve.

There are many countries, especially in Europe, that manage a multi-party system quite well. Norway, for example, has seven or eight political parties, and most of the time, they can only manage a coalition government. However, it is also a very centralized system, with a rather homogeneous society and a tradition of compromise and adjustments to regional differences. Canada, if anything is moving away from cultural cohesiveness, and this will make it ever harder to obtain the political consensus needed for a majority government.

Harper better make hay while the sun is shining, for after Dion the Liberals will, or should, have learned from their past mistakes and dip into their still substantial well of effective leadership potential. People like Bob Rae or John Manley will bring the intelligence, strategy, experience and eloquence needed to regain their party’s political ascendancy. Unless, of course, the party has a collective death wish and chose someone like Michael Ignatieff –an English-speaking Stephane Dion.