Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 29, 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba A Long history of minority governments there have been eight minority governments duration in office five months 24 Days. Seats opposition 155, duration in office 17 months 19. Shortest serving minority government elected since confederation 1962 ? progressive conservative prime minister Days. ? John Diefenbaker aug. 8, 1957 to feb. 1, 1958. John Diefenbaker 116 seats opposition 149 seats 1979 ? progressive conservative prime minister Joe 1921 ? conservative prime minister Arthur Meighen. Number of maps elected since confederation duration in office six months 19 Days. Clark 136 seats opposition 146, duration in office six 116 seats opposition 119 seats duration in office ? 3,847 of which 973 were lawyers. 1963 ? Liberal prime minister Lester Pearson 129 months three Days. Three years seven months 21 Days. Seats opposition 136 seats duration two years four. Cost of this Federal 1925 ? Liberal prime minister William Lyon. Average duration of minority governments months. Election Mckenzie King 99 seats opposition 146 seats Dura one year seven months 27 Days. 1965 ? Liberal prime minister Lester Pearson 131 ? $265 million. Tion in office six months 25 Days. 1957 ? progressive conservative prime minister John Diefenbaker 112 seats opposition 153 seats by Dan Lett t he minority government won by liberals last night May be a scary scenario for some politicians but it in to going to faze Reg Alcock. The Liberal Treasury Board president and re elected my for Winnipeg South served As an opposition House Leader in the Manitoba legislature where conservative Premier Gary Filmon formed a minority government in 1986. And while there were some Dicey moments Alcock said he Learned that you Don to need to make deals with the Devil to keep the minority on track. Filmon never made a Deal with any body Alcock said last night. He just came in with a platform a speech from the throne and he said vote for it or Don to vote for i think that a what we re going to the liberals certainly gained Confidence about their ability to govern with a minority when they edged closer and closer to the magic number of 155 seats ? a Clear majority in the 308-seat House of commons ? on the combined support of the liberals and nip. As was speculated before voting Day a Liberal nip coalition would be the Only reasonable Way of keeping the Liberal government afloat for any significant period of time. Late last night the two parties stood several seats Over that magic number. A tory minority government was Felt seats opposition 134, duration in office two years four. Longest serving minority government months 14 Days. ? three years seven months 21 Days arthur1972 ? Liberal prime minister Pierre Trudeau 109 Meighen Jan. 15, 1922 to sept. 5, 1925. Arthur Meighen analysis by Many observers to be unworkable Given the differences in political philos Ophy and platform Between themselves and the nip. And the tories and Liber als both ruled out a working Union Between themselves and the separatist bloc quebecois. However even with some similarity in policy and approach How reasonable is it to expect the liberals and nip to collaborate even on a casual basis Alcock said political history shows the nip has worked with Liberal Minori ties most notably following the 1972 minority won by Liberal prime minister Pierre Trudeau. In that government the nip played a Central role in nudging the liberals in important social policy areas. Alcock said he does not support the formal coalition used by the liberals and nip in Ontario in the mid-1980s, because it often leaves both parties com promised and without a Clear identity. Alcock said he thinks much of the cur rent Liberal platform is in sync with Many nip priorities. It will be up to a Liberal government to present the progressive platform that nip Leader Jack Layton and his expanded caucus can sup port. This requires a lot of Back and Forth Between the House leaders Alcock said. Obviously you can to run off wild with your platform. You have to be focused and but in an nip Liberal marriage there Are Likely to be some hard feelings that must be overcome before the work of governing can begin. For most of the last week of the Campaign the liberals criss crossed the country warning voters not to support the nip because it would Only Aid the conservatives. Nip my Bill Blaikie re elected in Elmwood Transcona and the elder states Man of the nip caucus said he is not interested in harbouring grudges nor in bringing Down the government just to prove a Point about an election strategy. I Don to think canadians Are interested in bringing Down the government any time soon said Blaikie. I think they want us to make parliament Blaikie did note that Martins attempt to lure away nip voters especially with a pledge that the liberals support Many of the same principles As the nip Are words that May come Back to haunt the surviving prime minister. There Are a lot of common Points in the platforms of the two parties ? increased health care spending More Money for municipalities an emphasis on environmental policies including sup port for the Kyoto Accord and both Par ties basically avoided tax cuts As a Central theme. However there Are Points of diver gence As Well Blaikie noted. Or. Martin said he shares values with nip voters said Blaikie. Of you said you agree with us on Many things so lets see what you be got. We can use or. When its All said and done they have Martins embrace of the nip voters and to recognize that we have a mandate to nip values to our government Alcock said. You just when push comes to shove Alcock Don to Rush out and defeat a government said an effective minority government Over nothing. We can to be Coy with it but puts its Agenda on the table and dares there is a reason minority governments the opposition to defeat it on questions of Confidence. ;