It only took three days, but Stephen Harper finally apologized to anyone who has been removed from a Conservative rally, because, although the practice only came to light with the removal of two students from an event at the University of London, apparently it's a regular occurrence. 

It seems to be yet another page from the Bush era playbook: only partisans need apply. I always thought candidates would want rally's to be open to everyone: then they get a chance to persuade people to vote for them. After all, what's the use of preaching to the converted?  In fact, the student at the centre of this issue, Awish Aslam, also attended an NDP rally because she wanted to hear from the leaders before making up her mind. What she did do is set an enviable example of what more of us should do during elections, but all it got her was a scarlett letter 'L'. If rallys are attended and minds aren't changed, one can only assume that there would be no harm done. It is, after all, a Canadian election. Stephen Harper's Ad people might be vicious attack dogs, but the general public is not. 

And it's hard to take the apology seriously: He was basically brow-beaten in to it by the media. Harper thought that a glib remark would sweep it away, but the question kept coming: What gives? It's just more conduct unbecoming a leader, but why should he care? The polls show that his lead isn't going anywhere, which suggests to me 'apathy' over 'acceptance.' Brian Mulroney first, and then the Liberals were reduced to rubble for much much less than the litany of contemptuous deeds by Stephen Harper. And all of a sudden Canadians don't care. 

That kinda sucks.
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Would someone please explain to me what is so wrong with the notion of adults cooperating in a coalition government? Because it's pretty clear from the numbers that if Canada gets back on the election merry-go-round, we're going to end up in the same place yet again - a bunch of pissy leaders and the rest of us with vertigo, ready to barf up our cotton candy.

The insane faux-horror that ensued after the last suggestion of cooperation in parliament is enough to make us believe the denizens of a certain Street should be renditioned to Syria for cooperationist propoganda. You know - that dangerous movement that started in 1969 by Gordon, Susan, Bob, and Mr. Hooper - more commonly known as the Sesame Street 4? For god's sake, man, they were teaching children to cooperate! How dare they!

That great definition of insanity is on everybody's lips these days: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. The results will definitely be the same: There will be a minority parliament. But the outcome could be different, because three of these things belong together and one of these things just isn't the same. And if you guessed that three of these things are left-of-centre politics, then I think you're ready to play this game.

Because as much as Stephen Harper wants you to believe that a Canadian Axis of Evil wants to hijack parliament, I don't think it's unreasonable to see it as adults cooperating in order to represent sixty percent of the country. Any agreement with the block would go something like this: where common interests overlap, we'll work together to advance those interests. Quebec separation is not a common interest, and therefore is off the table. But of course, the religious faction of Harperville thinks gay marriage is a slippery slope to inter-species marriage, so why wouldn't they equate working with the block on EI reform, or our role in Afghanistan, as the first step toward mandatory poutine on Sundays?

I mean, it just doesn't make any fucking sense.

Of course, the Liberals and NDP are not making it any easier on themselves to work together without looking ridiculous, with constant accusations of who propped up who, and the Conservatives are happy to enlist the support of the separatists themselves in a case of selective amnesia worthy of a book by Oliver Sachs:  The Politician who Mistook the Separatists for a Hat. They all end up looking like hypocrites, and things will be really awkward when they decide to officially bless the union.

In fact, the time really has come for the Liberals and NDP to actually run on a platform of willingness to cooperate. Let everyone know what's on the table so there's no surprises. Stephen Harper is convinced that the country would not stand for a coalition government, and that the threat of one would deliver him a majority. I say we call his bluff. I mean, it's definitely time to try something different, that's for damn sure. There's no question that there is an alternative to the merry-go-round. Maybe those Sesame Street communists might have been on to something. Adults cooperating may be the only way off.
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