A Canadian political commentary

I am sitting in my lounge in Nelson, NZ reading about the political happenings in Canada. In the US you can get lame duck presidencies with a president in power without support of of the House or the Senate, unable to act. In NZ proportional representation means that the minor parties can wield far too much power for their level of popular support... They get ministerial roles because their support means that the larger party can stay in power. (For the record, living here hasn't made me a big fan of proportional rep.) It sounds like similiar things are happening in Canada without MMP. In Canada you can have a Liberal leader who has lost an election only weeks ago - seeing and grabbing for power- despite the fact he isn't even popular enough to lead his own party. I've found irony in Canadian politics before - such as how the BQ were 'her majesty's loyal opposition'. I'm curious to see how the public responds and how this proceeds. I can't imagine that a man who can't keep his party together can manage to keep a 3 headed monster with very different goals together- in difficult economic times. Difficult times call for a government that can act. I can't see how this one could, if this proceeds.

"Accountability of public servants to government, of government to Parliament, and of Parliament to taxpayers can be achieved only if the MPs of all parties support these goals. Parliamentarians must never lose sight of the fact that in a democracy, accountability is the price exacted for the gift of power." - James J. MacDonnell - former Auditor General of Canada

I think some MPs have forgotten. May they soon remember. And if they do not, may the people of Canada not forget.