The reason they are really scared is because they know what will happen and they won't like that.A lot of clear thinking Canadians are fed up with the coalition crap and would vote with that in mind. I guess the reason some Canadians are forgetting or don't know is that they are just not as smart as some people think they are.

They are 'scared' of an election because the Liberal Party has leadership issues, and has had them since Chretien stepped down. They are also still suffering under the ill effects of the Sponsorship Scandal. Plus, they don't exacly have a wealth of cash right now either.

Also add the simple fact that each successive election results in fewer and fewer eligable citizens actually going to the polls.

Again, as I have stated several times AND provided proof therein, it is perfectly legal and democratic under a Parliamentary Democracy for the Governor General to chose to ask the Leader of the Opposition (be it soley the opposition party or a coalition of the major opposition party and the lesser opposition party(s)) to become the Head of Government (Prime Minister) and select appropriate MPs to fill the Cabinet.

Yes, the Bloc are merely supporting the Coalition for 18 months. Meaning quite simply that in key confidence votes they will vote WITH the Coalition and not against it. This keeps things stable for at least 18 months. Because when you get right down to it, 163 MPs voting one way and 143 voting the other ways is the 163 being the majority vote.

See, 163 is a bigger number than 143, do you see how that works?

All Coalition governments that have happened in Canada's political past, federal and provincial, have about as long a shelf life as a minority government. Now, how many elections have we had at the Federal Level since Martin decided to call an election prematurely in the midst of the Sponsorship scandal, thereby allowing his political opponents something that had seriously angered Canadians as a weapon?

And you seem to forget, not know or are blissfully ignoring the fact that Harper himself entertained the idea of 'jumping into bed with a seperatist party', as did Stockwell Day before him, and Harper actually wrote then Governer General Clarkson presenting that to her in 2004 in an effort to do to Paul Martin EXACTLY what Dion and Layton are trying to do to him. Seems to me that the Bloc is more of a means of one political party getting what it really wants (read, power) than any kind of a threat of separation (especially given the notable lack of steam that the movement operates under these days), and Quebec's non-separation demands are no more outragous or suspect than demands from other regions and provinces of Canada.

And let's not forget that Harper caved into the Bloc's demands that Quebec be acknowledged as a nation within a nation. Yea, Hero Harper. Not Dion. Not Layton. Harper. Probably to gain their support in certain key votes in the House. He's no more of an angel than the rest of them.

Well, I think the big question is, WHY is the coalition (and their supporters) so scared of an election??? Is it possible they realize that their arguement to Canadians contradicts itself?

- They claim it would be a more democratic government representing far more Canadians. (Conservative=143 seats, Libs+NDP+Bloq=163 seats)

the only problem with that is their next point in the arguement is

- The seperatist party Bloq aren't part of the government via the coalition
The Libs will get 18 seats + PM, and the NDP get the rest with 6 seats. The Bloq also aren't signed on to "support" the coalition for the entire 3 years, only 18 months. (Without the Bloqs 49 seats, the Libs & NDP only have 114 seats)

The "support" that the Bloq will give comes with a price....everything seems to when it comes to Quebec. When Duceppe was asked about only signing on for 18 months instead of the entire 3 year agreement he stated the three parties could not agree on "concrete action to recognize the Quebec nation". http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/01/coalition-talks.html)

Hmmmmm....I wonder what the asking price for the Bloqs support will be when the time comes. Especially since without the Bloqs vote, the Conservatives will win. That ransom is far more than I feel comfortable giving.

Personally I believe that even some NDP & Liberal supporters from the last election dislike the way they jumped into bed with a seperatist party and will vote Conservative if an election was called. Even some of the MP's from the parties, although currently toeing the line, will jump across as this gets uglier, and the ransom gets higher and higher. Again, that is just MY believe.

Zacksdad, I put it as simply as I could as many times as I could throughout this discussion.

NO MATTER YOUR REASONING BEHIND YOUR CHOICE your vote only gets you ONE SINGLE THING. Your riding's representative and NOTHING MORE. ONE INDIVIDUAL within the entire government....that being Parliament as a whole.

And you have vastly oversimplified the reasons behind many Quebecor's choice for their Bloc Candidate in recent years. It's far more complex than separation. Especially considering that separation in and of itself has long been loosing steam in Quebec.

They are Canadian and Canadian they'll stay.

I'm honestly and deeply fustrated that so many Canadians have either forgotten or never knew the way Parliamentary Democracy in a Constitutional Monarchy works. It's frightening and scary.

Yes just look at the mess Rae made in Ontario in his 4 years.

"Liberal MP Bob Rae, who is considered one of the frontrunners of the race to replace Dion, admitted Saturday that the current situation is becoming difficult."

That comment can be found on CBC's website, right here:

Saturday, December 6, 2008 | 9:51 PM ET

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/12/06/dion-manley.html?ref=rss

My feelings were indicated in an earlier post regarding Rae obtaining leadership of the Liberal party. NDP + Liberal Ray = (in my opinion) A free-for-all spending spree with no end in sight. Capitalists' and taxpayers beware..

The voters did not get their say,the last election the Liberals and NDP did not run saying that if they did not win they would form a coalition.The voters did not know this was their plan. It doesn't matter whether the Bloc are a part of the coalition or not,the bottom line is they hold all the power.If the others would try and do something at any time they could pull the plug and then we start all over. Sure right now they are Canadians but get real here ,the Blocs whole reason to live is to seperate and get whatever they can for Quebec and nothing else.The voters in Quebec knew this and yet they voted for them instead of the Liberals or others so that says a lot right as to their thinking. Although we sure dont need another election its the only way to solve this.The parties can say what their intentions are and the voters can decide ,that way the voters know there would be a coalition if the results are the same and then at least we can get this out of the way.It sure seems though that the coalition people are scared of that happening ,makes you wonder why?

Zacksdad.....the voters DID get their say. Remember, the ENTIRE Parliament is the government. Period. Harper was asked to act as Head of Government (as all prior Prime Ministers were) because his party gained more seats than the others.

And again, as I have repeated MANY TIMES (and no one seems to be listening), the Bloc ARE NOT part of the coalition. At All. They merely have agreed to not vote against the coalition in key confidence motions until June 2010. There is a MASSIVE difference between the two, and like it or not, the Bloc represent a large swath of people in Quebec, who by the way, are Canadian. Just like any other MP in the House, MPs in the Bloc represent the people of their riding, their wants, needs and interests.

And the federal government is ALWAYS run by a group. What do you think a political party is?

Again, a coalition, like it or not, is perfectly legal and a viable option when in a situation such as we have just gone through. It just hasn't happened in a long while, because such situations are rare in our country.

Ye Gods, I am constantly repeating myself over and over and over all over the place and still people aren't listening. I'm not asking you to like the idea of the Liberals and the NDP forming a coalition, I'm telling you to accept the fact that it is democratic, legal and does have precident in our country, both Federally and Provincially. I'm telling you to develop a better grasp of our Parlimentary Democracy so that you don't fall victim to the misleading retorhic that has been spouted over the last while. Because to me, THAT is what is the worst part of all this.

Just in case anyone thinks i am a Harper fan ,i am not.As far as i am concerned if some one blew up the whole house of commons i would just look at it that we are rid of some lying crooked laywers which anytime you can do that its always good. Like monty said i just want a stable government that we need more than ever with the times we are in. Not a sneaky group trying to get in the back door.

Drunkbeerguy, that was great i sent it to some friends everyone thinks its very funny. Its kind of ironic that the Leafs only chance to get the cup is really the same as Dions ,by the backdoor.