How, less than two months after our last federal election and after Liberal leader Stéphane Dion and other high-ranking Liberal MPs explicitly ruled out forming a coalition government, did the recent political upheaval in Ottawa happen?

While there is a lot of emotion and political rhetoric flying around, several facts are clear:

On October 14th, Canadians re-elected the Conservative government with a stronger mandate. Shortly after, we delivered our Speech from the Throne, which set out the government’s direction for the coming year. The opposition voted in support of the Speech from the Throne.

The government then delivered the Economic and Fiscal Update. One of the parties in the House of Commons, the Bloc Québécois, delivered suggestions on changes they would like to see made to it.

The Liberals and the NDP submitted no suggestions at all. They felt they had a better idea.

Instead of proposing changes, they tried to railroad through a coalition which would place Prime Minister Stéphane Dion at the helm, and subject Canadians to policies hobbled together on the fly.  This coalition’s very existence depends on the whim of the Bloc Québécois.

Let us be clear: regardless of whether Canadians voted Conservative, Liberal, NDP or for the Bloc Québécois, we can be sure that no Canadian voted for that unworkable arrangement. There is no mandate for such an act.

Bloc Québécois MPs are democratically elected and have every right to be in Parliament. However, the Bloc Québécois has a fundamentally different vision about this country.

We will always respect the mandate of the Bloc Québécois MPs to act for the constituents who have elected them. However, as a government whose fundamental responsibility is to defend the strength and unity of Canada, we will never put ourselves in a position where our government is beholden to a party that does not want Canada — all of Canada — to succeed.

In accepting the Prime Minister’s advice to prorogue Parliament until the 26th of January, the Governor General has acted in the very best interests of the country. This action will provide all parties with the opportunity to step back, clear heads and refocus on the number-one priority of the nation: the economy.

Between now and January 26th, when Parliament resumes, the government will continue to focus almost exclusively on ensuring that the Budget contains the measures necessary to effectively address the worries of Canadians and to strengthen our economy. We will build on the stimuli that the government has already provided in order to ensure that we protect Canada’s future.

This January’s Budget will be prepared with brisk, focused prudence and within the shortest time frame of any federal Budget in Canadian history. We have asked for consultation from all the parties, from industry and from provincial premiers. It will be prepared within a wider context because, just as the financial crisis is global, the solution must be global as well. Canadians can be certain that we will be working closely with our counterparts in the new Obama administration, as well as other leaders around the world, to ensure that the policies and stimulus that are put in place are the right ones for all of us.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly stated that all parties and all Members in the House of Commons have a role to play in this action because all parties represent the voices of different citizens across our country.

While Canadians voted four parties and two independents to the House of Commons, three of those parties answer to all Canadian citizens and have a shared responsibility to the entire country.

Whatever our other differing points of view, it is clear that we all want Canada to succeed. It is on that point that we must bridge our differences and all work towards a strong, stable and successful country.

In the coming days and weeks, I hope that all Members of Parliament who do believe in a successful Canada will work with us on the top priority of Canadians — the economy. Only then can we truly act in the best interests of the country and of all Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Dean Del Mastro
Member of Parliament, Peterborough Riding