A Calgary political scientist says a looming election won’t go over well with voters, but he’s certain Canadians are headed to the ballot box this fall.
Duane Bratt of Mount Royal College in Calgary said the fact that Canadians have had four federal elections in five years won’t deter quarreling national political leaders from heading out on the campaign trail later this year.
“We’re going to the polls; it’s just a question of when the government falls. Nobody wants an election, but we’re going to the polls anyways,” he said.
Bratt’s response came on the heels of Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff saying yesterday he will no longer support Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government.
“After four years of drift, four years of denial, four years of division and four years of discord, Mr. Harper, your time is up,” Ignatieff told cheering MPs and senators in Sudbury, Ont.
Ignatieff said Harper has “failed all four” benchmarks the Liberals set out last June for continued support for the government.
“You’ve failed to protect the most vulnerable. You’ve failed to create jobs. You’ve failed to defend our health care. You’ve failed to restore our public finances.”
Harper, who was in Calgary to help open the WorldSkills 2009 competition, spoke against an election.
“I haven’t met a single Canadian who’s saying they want to see an election right now,” he said.
“I think Canadians have been pretty clear they want Parliament to focus on the economy — that is what the government will be doing in the fall session.”
That sentiment was shared by Calgarians weary of federal elections. Ashley Uhlman, a 27-year-old computer technician, said he doesn’t support going to the polls.
“I think it would be a waste of money, and we will just end up with the same outcome and then another election again next year,” he said. with files from the canadian press
