Electoral Reform

The Liberals and the Greens are stepping over party lines to look at electoral reform. the changes would make a mixed member porportional system. It would cause minority governments to work with other parties. Some parties may struggle working with fringe parties to get things done. There is no doubt though that the Liberals willingness to agree on five points of reform is a clear sign that parties are more than willing to cross party lines. This non-partisian political work is in stark contrast to American parties. In the American party system, only two parties are a significant chance of getting elected due to the amount their parties can raise for a campaign. Smaller parties such as the Green and Libertarian parties haven't been able to successfully raise the money needed to compete with GOP canidates or Democrats. In Parliament instead of money being the deciding factor, its issues. The Canadian Green party dedicates itself to the climate and atmosphere, suceeding in enviromental reform with the Keyote Pact, but is making electoral a reform a key isssue to bring more power to the minority government. Liberal leader Dion is making a good move by siding with the Greens and will make further strides in positives accomplishments in Parliament.

Anti-Terrorism Laws Strain US-Canadian Relations

The Bush Administrations fanatical obession with homeland security is backing Canadian-US relations into a corner. US government requires that all people crossing from Canada to US to have a passport. They are also pushing to increase security measures along the border as well. Canada depends on US tourism and thrity eight states have Canada as their largest export. The problem is that only twenty eight percent of Americans have passports and forty percent of Canadians have them.

Ontario PremierMcGinty is calling for a change from passport requirement to a "much more secure drivers license". Ontario will likely make the switch but the impact of making everyone have a passport will be a serious deterrent to tourism.

The unneccesary security increase makes it seem like the US doesn't believe that Canada is capable of handling security on their own. McGinty has said that they will be on the cutting edge of security in North America. The War on Terrorism should not take away US jobs and infringe upon the freedom of citizens in other countries.

Negative Campaigning

The gloves have officially been taken off between Dion’s Liberal party and Harper’s Conservative party. This week the conservatives will launch a line of negative ads against the Liberals in French trying to break Dion’s popularity in Quebec. The conservatives saw the ads that were presented in English as a huge success but most media outlets and political analysts have seen the ads as desperate.

Of the many issues that the conservatives are taking pot shots at the Liberals is the environment. They view Dion as week on environment issues and that particular issue resonates in Quebec.

The French ads are only the second phase of a plan to build up momentum for a possible election and restore confidence in the conservative party. Dion has yet to comment on the ads.

Stephen Harper's Battle with the House

In the first 12 months of Steven Harper’s minority government, he has fought to grant what he promised during his entire campaign, partisan politics. After bringing the two conservative sects together two years earlier the Liberal led House could be calling for an election in the spring.

The Hill Times recently reported that both parties are preparing for an election after the conservative Torries ran negative ads about the Liberals during the Super Bowl weekend. Chief Government whip Hill felt that the adds was a sign of the conservatives not letting go and will likely end up looking bad for them.

Negative ads weren’t the only other blow that the conservative party has taken within the last few weeks. Prime Minister Harper passed on a motion that was created by Liberal party leader Stephane Dion to embarrass the minority government. After Harper rejected the International Kyoto Protocal which called for Canada to reduce its greenhouse gas levels to that of 1990 Dion introduced another motion which simply pointed out the conservative’s lack of concern about environmental issues. Or, as Dion put it that the government is just stalling to see if any new businesses could be developed before any regulations are put into place. Harper felt the Dion’s suggestions and goals were ludicrous and that reaching those levels isn’t only impossible but irresponsible to say it could be done. Greenhouse gas emissions did however rise 30% while the Liberals were in power, but Dion blames the conservatives for not passing his bill.

Clearly, the division between the two parties is greater now than ever. The conservative Torries were pro sending Canadian troops to war in Iraq to support Bush’s war. There are now calls from all parties to bring them home which would be the only issue that is being agreed on. An election in the spring is to be expected but whether Harper can win the battle with the House or if there can be some level ground found is still to be seen.