A Canadian Political Crisis

In the same sense in which it was a miscalculation for Stephen Harper to propose the elimination of the economic support that the Government provides to the political parties and the suspension of public strikes for three years, it was a miscalculation of the opposition to pretend that Harper would have left the Prime Minister office without using all the means at his disposal to avoid it. Although it is true that there is a sense of illegitimacy in the conservative government, it is also true that the opposition in particular the liberal party has opened the door to a scenario where it could be severely damaged and that is elections before the liberal convention in Vancouver, because that will mean going to elections without a renewed leadership.
The apparent popular rejection outside Quebec to the proposal of coalition does not necessarily mean that the Conservative Government will achieve a majority government because people choose them as a rejection of the liberals, because there is also a strong sense of partisanship that accompanies the prime minister and it could be argue that he is even more disconnected that the liberal party from the wishes, intentions and needs of Canadian population.
In consequence, the strategy that the liberal party should follow is to support a compromise of the coalition with the government, pressuring the conservatives to take the measures that are required, not only in order to preserve the institutionalism, but also in order to gain the time required to the liberal convention. The other, scenario, the feverish persistence in toppling down the government without considering the consequences, will only appear as negative in the eyes of the Canadian population, but will also play against the need of renovation that exists in the liberal party.
Although Stephen Dion is the one who usually receives most of the blame for the poor electoral result of the liberals, it should also be noted that the party as a whole, through its disconnection with the liberal base and the lack of a clear path to follow should also be held responsible. Therefore, the only alternative for the liberal party and for that matter for Canada, is to engage in a process of renovation, in an open dialogue with the liberal base, changing those power hungry party officials who have got to used to the commodities of their positions, and engage in a sincere dialogue with Canadians, at the end of which the party should decide if it is able to offer what Canadians need.