People Prefer Majorities

The latest Strategic Counsel poll shows most Canadians would prefer a Conservative majority(48%), as opposed to a minority(37%). This finding is striking, in that we have a situation where more people support the notion of majority, than do the party in question. This preference speaks to the conventional wisdom that a majority government is more effective and less divisive. Minority parliaments are considered fractured affairs, unable to conduct the country's business due to uncertainty.

Are these preconceived notions about minorities true? Anyone who favors proportional representation finds some comfort in a minority parliament. While not ideal, a minority does allow for more input from the various parties. This parliamentary structure is more reflective of the country's beliefs as a whole. The Conservatives mandate doesn't translate into a nation who fully supports their policies. As we prepare to vote, I am heartened by Layton's line in the sand stances with regards to the environment and health care. The Conservative government must find common ground with other parties, and in the process their more radical policies will be modified or, better yet, completely abandoned.

A minority government can function, especially given the fact that Canadians have no stomach for another election in the short term. The parties will be forced to craft legislation in a spirit of bipartisanship. This anomaly of more support for a Conservative majority than for the Conservative party reveals the Canadian preference for stability above all else. I would suggest we need to rethink the supposed wisdom of majority rule. The more voices in the decision making processes, the better the representation across the political spectrum. Minorities keep the government honest, moderate policy through the function of compromise and prevent complacency on the part of the ruling party.