|
Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the
G20 countries he favours an economic stimulus plan, even if it takes a
deficit to do it. But on November 27 his Finance Minister, Jim
Flaherty, presented to Parliament a fiscal update full of cuts to achieve
a balanced budget. Flaherty proposed to cut programme spending by
$2 billion next year, to sell $2.3 billion worth of public assets, and to
squeeze $600 million out of public service wages by suspending the right
to strike for federal workers. He also pledged to stop pay equity
settlement payments to women, announced he would cut by $2.4 billion
transfer payments to poorer provinces, and said he would scrap public
subsidies to political parties based on the number of votes they get.
Needless to say, none of these measures would create
or protect one job, or sustain one pension, or help one jobless or
homeless person, as the country descends into economic quick sand.
The opposition Liberal Party, New Democratic Party and
Bloc Quebecois announced that they would vote to bring down the
Conservative minority government.
Staring defeat in the face, the Tories postponed the
vote on their fiscal report from December 1 to December 8. In a
vain attempt to stop the uproar, the Tories dropped their plan to cut
party subsidies and ban strikes. Flaherty promised a new budget for
January 27 to include new spending.
On December 3, Liberal leader Stephane Dion and NDP
leader Jack Layton announced the formation of a coalition based on an
economic stimulus package (though no dollar figures were indicated), and
an allocation of cabinet seats (18 to go to the Liberals, plus the PM,
and 6 to the NDP). BQ leader Gilles Duceppe agreed to support the
coalition for 18 months.
To avoid defeat in the House on December 8, Harper
asked Governor General Michaelle Jean to “prorogue” Parliament, that is,
to suspend it until January 26. The GG granted the rare and
controversial request, just seven weeks following the latest federal
election. This buys time for the Tories.
However, Liberal MP s, in the midst of a divisive
leadership race to replace the ineffective Dion, already appear to be
bolting from the coalition. Ironically, Harper may have saved Jack
Layton and the NDP brass from self-amputation by suspending Parliament
and exploiting Liberal internal contradictions. But Harper’s
vicious attack on “separatists”, implying that the 1.3 million Quebecois
who voted for the BQ are traitors and devils, has unleashed the dogs of
racist chauvinism. While Harper’s demagogy has hurt the
Conservatives in Quebec, it also undermines solidarity and working class
independence across the rest of the Canadian state. The road ahead
will be rocky indeed – but passable. Socialists, democrats and
progressives should press the NDP and Labour to fight for a programme
wrapped in the workers’ flag, not the maple leaf.
|