As the politicians in Ottawa get all hot and bothered about a possible federal election, they all should keep one fact in mind. The electorate doesn鈥檛 want anything to do with a spring election.
Tuesday鈥檚 budget was slated to come off as fiscally conservative and even welcoming news on the deficit front. A couple of concessions to the New Democratic Party can be seen as support for seniors and lower-income Canadians and just may keep the government from falling on the merits of the budget. A more likely scenario is that the Tories may fall on an opposition-dominated Commons committee recommending that the government be found in contempt of Parliament due to several recent scandals.
And the Tories certainly have weighty baggage when it comes to ethical conduct, including a cabinet minister admitting altering a document after first claiming she hadn鈥檛, charges of violating election spending laws, possible breaches of lobbying laws, etc.
All items the Tories should be held accountable for and take action on. However, before the opposition gets too self-righteous on the way to the polls there鈥檚 another thing to keep in mind.
Canadians have put up with two minority governments in a row and even though the Tories have stumbled through too many scandals for anyone鈥檚 liking, and Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn鈥檛 elicit warm and fuzzy feelings from virtually anyone, the Liberals and NDP have gained no ground in opinion polls.
In fact they鈥檝e fallen behind. So any attempt by the opposition to force an election at this juncture, no matter how well-intentioned, will likely be frowned upon by the electorate who will see it as an expensive and unnecessary exercise that will only succeed in maintaining the status quo.
鈥� Vernon Morning Star
