[LINK] "Why Nobody Wants an Election But We Could Get One Anyway"

[rfmcdonald]

Torontoist's Patrick Metzger points out that the Ontario NDP's brinksmanship over the minority Liberal government's budget, demanding tax hikes and new spending, could well bring the Conservatives into power provincially. Liberal assent would undermine the whole austerity project; Liberal dissent could bring an early election.

[W]ho would gain most from an election—or more importantly, who thinks they would gain most? The Grits would be hard-pressed to find anything they’ve done that’s going to pick them up seats, having already got farmers, northern residents, public servants, and Ford nation in a state of high dudgeon. Penny-pinching (er, nickel-pinching?) is never popular, and an election based on this budget would be neutral for the Liberals at best.

The NDP don’t want an election either—they are even less financially prepared than the Grits—but feel they could run a strong campaign on their budget ideas. A recent poll by the Broadbent Institute indicated that a majority of Canadians are comfortable with taxing the rich to prevent cuts in social programs, and tax credits for job creation are likely to find favour in a province where employment has barely recovered since the depths of the Great Recession.

The Conservatives have already defaulted to forcing an election if the Liberals and NDP don’t reach an agreement. If they won the contest, Tim Hudak would redeem himself from the defeat he pulled from the jaws of victory last fall, and if they lose, the Tories probably get to look for a leader who has a better shot at running the province. Either way, somebody’s problem gets solved.

I do not want Tim as premier, I do not.