Harper, Dion, Layton and Michaëlle Jean have All Lost This Battle

"In the 21st century, in Canada, the way to fight for your political life is apparently to demand the Queen BANISH your enemies! Oh, Canada, come on." - Rachel Maddow

THIS week didn't go well. It didn't go well for Harper, because he has been severely wounded politically. His credibility gave way to cowardice and slyness and his maneuvering has stalled any economic progress as well as set a highly dangerous parliamentary precedent.

The Liberals and NDP have not come out of this without some cuts either. They may have divided the country by pushing this issue in the way they did. Instead of stabbing Harper in the back with a surprise vote, which would have achieve their goal rather then put them on crash course for an election, they decided to make this more of a 5 cent drama than an actual stance on change.

The Governor General also hasn't come out of this in a nice way. Michaëlle Jean decided to continue her vacation upon hearing of this little crisis. I'm sure she (like most Canadians) thought it would fizzle out before we had to get the monarchy involved. Yet, when it blew up she still continued her trip around Europe while Canadians were forced into uncharted territories. Furthermore, when she did arrive she sided with the Prime Minister and placed a precedent on parliamentary democracy that is so unsuited for our style of government that it makes me want to throw tea into the Halifax harbor. And to top it all off...she placed no actual stipulations on the Prime Minister. She should have forced him to work out a plan with Liberals and the NDP at the table.

Who has come out of this on top? The Bloc. They have successfully placed their fingers around the nipple of a coalition with all the potentialities of a Quebecois purple nurple should the plan go through and Dion becomes Prime Minister. Even if Harper gets his way, he has been defibrillator of the separatist movement in his defense of this coalition and thus divided the country and weakened his own party. Slide the chips over to Duceppe.


What should happen now?

The Tories should create a new economic team bring in Liberals and NDP to top spots. It should be a grand, public gesture to the coalition filled with "We were wrong and we do need you during this crisis" rhetoric.

The Liberals should accelerate their leadership selection process. Obviously the last one didn't work, so it is time for a change. It is clear who will win the race anyhow. Either way, the party is flat lining until Ignatieff...I mean...someone other than Dion is at the helm.

The NDP should come out with a new economic package and plan, something that is easy for people to understand and that reflects a balance between healthy stimulus and frugality.

The Bloc should do nothing but sit and watch the national parties continue to tear each other apart.

Lastly, Michaëlle Jean should resign. She has but one job in this world and at the most critical time for her to be present for her people she wasn't. She has weakened Canadian democracy and weakened the office of Governor General by not taking this issue seriously.

Let the planning for New Year's Resolutions begin...