Former NDP Vancouver Centre candidate Michael Byers proposes NDP-Liberal pseudo coalition in next election

Ex-NDP candidate and political commentator Michael Byers has some strange ideas - and floats them in strange places

The former New Democratic Party candidate in Vancouver Centre, Michael Byers, has proposed a pseudo coalition between the NDP and the Liberal Party in the next election to defeat Stephen Harper and the Conservatives.

The proposal is odd enough, given that Canadians have already overwhelmingly said "no thanks" to the idea of an electoral coalition, and odder still coming from a former and possibly future NDP candidate.

And more oddly still, Byers proposes it in the Toronto Star - which has at best a very limited circulation in British Columbia.

Nonetheless, let's look at the flaws in Byers' arguments for a one-time electoral "ceasefire agreement" between the NDP and Liberals.

First, the obvious one - this is a coalition that most Canadians reject. The polling was crystal clear and so was the country's reaction - no thanks!

Second, I doubt that either the Liberals or NDP would agree with this idea: "The Liberals and NDP should agree to not run candidates against each other in the next campaign."

Okay, maybe the Liberals would agree - and Byers spells out exactly why:

"In each riding, the party whose candidate fared worst in the last election would pull its current candidate out, or refrain from nominating one.

Both parties would win more seats, with the Liberals potentially forming a majority government."

Hmmm. Let's just suppose you are a strategist in NDP leader Jack Layton's office and are assigned to think this one through.

Let's see the likely results: Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff becomes the Prime Minister, the Liberals get all the cabinet seats, Stephen Harper is Opposition Leader and Jack Layton is, well, still Jack Layton, leader of Parliament's fourth party, albeit with significantly less influence over national affairs due to the LIberal majority.

Brilliant idea! Thanks for proposing it Michael, Jack's office would reply after a coffee and donut's worth of contemplation, but don't call us, we'll call you!

But here's my real problem with Byer's big idea - unlike the professor of political science, I don't see common cause between the Liberals and the NDP.

From the Liberals' opposition to anti-scab legislation to their leader's objectionable views on the invasion of Iraq, to that party's continued support for the war in Afghanistan and Canadian troops role there, to a whole host of other policy differences, it should be clear the NDP and the Liberals take very different approaches to key issues.

Then there's the Green Party, which he helpfully throws into the mix too.

Byers would give 5 Green Party also-rans, including hapless leader Elizabeth May, suitcases nearly unpacked in her third different riding, an almost free ride to Parliament as well.

But I've missed the real reason for this Grand Coalition for one election - all parties involved would agree to hold a national referendum on - wait for it - proportional representation.

Yes, I know, the very same idea rejected soundly by voters in BC in May and previously in both Ontario and PEI.

So, in summary, Byers proposes that NDPers agree to give up the ghost to let the Liberals form a potential majority government with Count Iffy as the prime minister, open the door to a handful of loser candidates from the Greens to win because they face no opposition but the Conservatives and will then content themselves to be fourth party with the Liberals holding all the power.

And this from a former NDP candidate!

Presumably professor Byers has a different understanding of how all this looks from his vantage point, but from what I see this would be a disaster for the NDP.

It's also possible that the Conservatives would benefit from a negative reaction to the Entente Cordiale - ordinary Canadians of both Liberal and NDP persuasion so unhappy with being deprived of their right to chose between what they see as real differences between the two opposition parties that the rebel and - shudder - vote Conservative for one time only to teach both other parties a painful lesson.

Nonetheless, the one result I can't see is the political utopia Byers hopes for.

And that's why - fortunately - it's extremely unlikely the NDP will take up his offer.

.