I don't particularly feel like writing, but what kind of blogger would I be if I didn't comment on what is arguably one of the most important events in Canadian political history?

So unless you have your head buried in the turf, you've heard that Canada's three opposition parties, the Liberals, the NDP, and the Bloc Quebecois, have agreed to form a coalition to overthrow Stephen Harper's Conservative minority government.

And unless your head has been buried in that turf a little longer, you've no doubt heard ordinary Canadians with little to no previous political interest screaming bloody-murder and hurling vitriol at everyone who could perpetrate such a sham against democracy.

Stop.

Let's talk about political theory for a moment. In Canada, we have a British-style parliamentary democracy. In short, our districts (ridings) elect representatives (Members of Parliament) to the main house of government (Parliament) where said MPs choose our Executive (the Prime Minister, who is not technically Head of State, but honestly, when was the last time the Queen held any real political power).

Now, many countries, particularly in Europe, happen to have a very similar democratic model to the basic system I've described. In fact, many countries have more active political parties than we do, and *gasp* proportional representation. So minority governments are much more frequent. So how does government function? Well, the parties work together and broker deals.

I'll give you a moment to recover while the shock wears off.

The Conservative party of Canada has utterly refused to make deals, concessions, or otherwise be co-operative to the opposition parties in any way, shape or form. As a result of this, we do not currently have a functional government.

Another way that other democracies function in minority situations is for political parties to form coalitions. That is, two or more like-minded parties try to put aside their differences and govern based on commonality. Imagine that!

Let's dispel some myths:

1. "What the opposition parties are doing is illegal and undemocratic!!!"

   Not really. As I explained, it's fairly common in other democracies. And while it's rare in Canada, it is not unprecedented. In the mid-1920s, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's Liberal party was elected as a minority government. But the official opposition eventually got fed up and formed a coalition with the Progressive Party of Canada to overthrow the government, sans election. Who was that opposition party?

   Why, none other than the Conservatives.

2. "This is going against a majority of Canadians' wishes!!!"

   Wrong again. If you look at the results of the 2008 Canadian Federal Election, you'll find that only 36% of Canadians voted Conservative. 55% voted either Liberal, NDP, or Bloc. So a coalition represents the majority of Canadians, and their views.

3. "The Bloc Quebecois is the root of all evil!!!"

   Okay, you know what? I'm gonna go out on a limb here: I like Giles Duceppe.

   Yeah, I said it! And while I'm at it, I don't particularly have a problem with the Bloc Quebecois either! Of course I support a united Canada, but honestly, when was the last time the Bloc pushed the issue of separation? That would be 1995: 13 years ago. Since then, the Bloc Quebecois has simply been a voice for Quebec interests in the federal parliament. Which, as a distinct and unique society within Canada, is a voice I think they are more than entitled to.

   And need I mention the many times that the Conservative party has negotiated political maneuvers with the Bloc to work against the Liberal Party? Utter hypocrisy.

4. "This will just end in another election in a few weeks that will cost Canadian taxpayers $$$!!!"

   The Liberals and the NDP have signed an accord. Their coalition will last until June 30, 2011. The Bloc Quebecois have committed to support that coalition in parliament until June 30, 2010. Until those times, these parties have to work together.

5. "This parliamentary crisis is the opposition parties' fault!!!"

   If you're going to blame the opposition parties for not supporting the Conservative government carte blache, you're ignoring that Stephen Harper and the Conservatives refused to broker any concessions with the opposition parties. Such diplomacy could have prevented this coalition before it even started.

Whether Canadians realize it or not, this deal is GOOD for them. It gives Canada a functional government which represents, through compromise, a majority of Canadians' political beliefs. I for one am greatly looking forward to what these three parties can accomplish by working together, and I hope you'll join me.