Selfdestruction

Susan Delacourt, a senior journalist from the Toronto Star, was apparently told by Liberal Senator David Smith that his party was planning on putting off an election until the government simply killed itself. Some people may call this a risky strategy, but history does show that governments tend to face their biggest problems towards the end of their terms. And considering that the Conservative policy book was written with the assumption that their would be an election after 18 months of governing, it doesn't sound like such a bad idea after all.

I actually believe that the government has already started to self-destruct, and that the terrain should be ripe for an election by the fall. Why? Because, the government's everyday policy is simply not in tune with the desires of most Canadians.

Let's just look at two stories today: first, Health Minister Tony Clement is attacked by leading scientists for refusing to renew the funding of the Vancouver safe injection site despite clear evidence of the pilot project's success. Second, the government takes heat for eliminating a database often used by journalists of all Access to Information requests since 1989.

These are all relatively small stories -small coverage, no legs-, but they do add up and contribute to a wider unease about the Conservatives. However good they may be at spinning a message and attacking the opposition, these everyday policy decisions do matter.

The Conservatives have a good shot at another minority (they won't ever get a majority), but they need to start acting like a party of government rather that a party of opposition. This means toning down the personal attacks, staying clear of national institutions such as the Nuclear Safety Board and Elections Canada, and most importantly, leaving their right wing ideology out of day-to-day policy.

Imagine if Tony Clement had accepted the scientific evidence and given the safe injection site funding. He wouldn't have made huge political hay, but instead of putting off more scientists and receiving negative media coverage once again, he might have gotten a few endorsements and brought the government another hundred votes. A hundred votes a day can go a long way...