Americans are so self-absorbed that it's likely they've missed the real political earthquake of the week. No, we cats aren't talking about the potential Republican 2012 candidates who are A) making fools of themselves, and B) dropping like flies. It's the election up in Canada.
What started out as semi-yawner as to whether Bush knockoff Stephen Harper and his Conservatives could win a majority morphed into a horse race with the Liberals advancing to just six points back. But today, a mere week before election day, the Liberals have changed places with the New Democratic Party. It's the NDP that now sits six points behind the Tories, who are back down to 33 percent.
Tempted to ask, "So?"
If you are, we cats must report that pollsters are saying they've never seen a surge like the NDP's before. If we were Michael Ignatieff, the Liberal Party leader, we would not be pleased. But Stephen Harper shouldn't rest easy, either. Because if, as usual, the Conservatives can't crack 40 percent, the New Democrats and the Liberals together would win the most seats in Parliament. Which means we could be looking at an NDP-led coalition government, making party leader Jack Layton (see above) Prime Minister.
Okay, we admit it — this would make us cats PURR. Not only would the ever-unappealing Stephen Harper be out of 24 Sussex Drive, but Canada would be in the hands of a party that's more liberal than the Liberals.
How has this happened? We cats have several thoughts. Canadian voters are much more fungible than their polarized counterparts in the U.S. We don't think they're particularly happy with Harper, but in the last few years have not appeared willing to forgive the Liberals for their sponsorship scandal (or for their uninspiring leaders). Suddenly — campaigning hard despite recent hip surgery — Jack Layton has become a viable alternative. After five years of a harshly conservative government presiding over a moderate-to-liberal electorate, perhaps Canadians are willing to try the left again.
The only question in our furry little minds is whether any events south of the border have influenced this political swing. The father of Canada's national health care system was a New Democrat: Tommy Douglas. Today's NDP health care platform calls for further improvements and a stronger federal role. Have Republican attacks on Medicare and health care reform in the U.S. had any effect on Canadian thinking? In short, has Paul Ryan helped Jack?
(Well, we said we were self-absorbed.)
(PHOTO: TheTyee.ca)
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