Harper Has A Strategy That Keeps Dion In A Defensive Position

Harper's strategy to force Liberals' hand
By TED BYFIELD

It seems clear, from what little I know of constitutional law, that Prime Minister Stephen Harper could have called an election last week or, conversely, that Liberal Leader Stephane Dion had clear grounds for demanding one.

When a government bill is defeated, as the bill to extend Canada's Anti-Terrorism Act was defeated last week by a vote of 159 to 124, the government can resign, or the opposition can demand its resignation, leaving the fate of the Parliament to the decision of the Governor-General.

So improbable were both these possibilities, however, media reports didn't even bother to mention them.

The fact neither Harper nor Dion took up the option means there's no appetite on either side of the House for an election at this time, but it tells us more about Harper's strategy than Dion's.

Piece by piece, he can present his program to the Commons, always with sufficient Conservative content to force the Liberals and their undependable allies to oppose it.

Their obstructionism-on-principle will gradually become evident to the public.

But wherever possible, he will inject into this doomed legislation elements some members of the Liberal caucus will not want to be on record as opposing.

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