The Hill Times: Canada has had 'no natural governing party' since 1950s: Russell

[tuvor]

With the rise of the Greens, minority governments will be the new normal, says author Peter Russell.

Canada, which no longer has a "natural governing party," has been prone to minority governments since the end of the Second World War, and the rise of the Green Party strengthens a five-party system, reducing the likelihood of future majority governments, says Peter Russell, the author of a new book on minority governments.

"I think we've been in minority government territory pretty solidly since World War II," Prof. Russell told The Hill Times in an interview. He pointed to the two minority governments each won by John Diefenbaker and Lester B. Pearson, as well as the minority governments of Pierre Trudeau and Joe Clark.

Prof. Russell, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Toronto and author of the new book, Two Cheers for Minority Government: The Evolution of Canadian Parliamentary Democracy, published by Edmond Montgomery Publications, argues that minority governments better serve Canadians than "false majorities," or majority governments elected by less than half the population. He called his book "two cheers" for minority government because he recognizes some of its failings, however.

He argues that MPs and the parties of the House need to come to terms with the reality of minority government, which poses a significant shift for how Parliament works. If minority governments are the new normal, Canada is shifting away from "prime ministerial government" and there is an obligation on MPs and party leaders to make an effort for political compromise.

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[Posteritatis]

1. If he thinks Canada tends towards minority governments he needs to read a book or two

That and, well, I'm pretty sure a party needs MPs before it can talk about rising.