The Next Logical Step

It’s one thing for John Conway to assume that the NDP “is on the cusp of winning federal power” based on Thomas Mulcair’s ascension to party leader, but does he have to disparage the talk of “coalition and merger” as “politics of desperation” [“Beware Of Mulcair”, May 3-16]? To dismiss the idea of a coalition between Liberals and NDP is to ignore the political realities that are borne of the first-past-the-post electoral system we have in Canada.

The Liberal party enjoyed years of power while the Progressive Conservatives squabbled and split votes with the Reform party. Now we’re seeing the opposite. Despite having only about 40 per cent of the national popular vote, the Conservatives continue to dominate the political landscape while the center left and left parties fight over scraps.

There are two roads the left can take to victory in Canadian politics: enact proportional representation and learn how to make minority governments work, or merge with those who share most of your beliefs.

Since Conway is fond of pointing out that Mulcair has made the party “safe” by taking it to the center, there should be no opposition to either option.

Jason Hanson
Saskatoon

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