Canadian Government Executive - Volume 27 - Issue 02

30 / Canadian Government Executive // March/April 2021 his office does not have the tools and powers necessary to ensure safe voting conditions. The bill would introduce a three-day voting period as opposed to the usual single day, increased access to mail-in ballots, and an option to conduct mobile polls. 3 The New Democrats have been the government’s steadfast part- ner, vowing not to trigger an election by defeating the government. Leader Jagmeet Singh risks undermining the perceived purpose and objectives of his party, in the minds of voters, to the extent that the NDP fails to differentiate itself from the increasingly left-lean- ing Liberals. The April budget proposed a significant expansion of the role of the state in the lives of Canadians, including funds for a national childcare system, though items like a universal basic in- come were missing. The challenge for Singh will be to convince left-of-centre, progressive voters to cast their ballot for the NDP, even though the Liberals are checking a lot of important boxes. The tendency toward strategic voting in Canada is no help to the NDP. If the Liberals want an election, but the NDP is not willing to defeat them, what is the path to a campaign? Constitutionally, the Prime Minister can request dissolution any time he wants but, po- litically, an election call that is seen as unnecessary is dangerous, particularly during a pandemic. If the Liberals want an election badly enough, the first step is to get Bill C-19 through so as to make it as safe as possible. Step two is to convince Canadians that it is necessary, either because the House is dysfunctional (as Stephen Harper argued back in 2008) 4 or by making the NDP an offer that they have to refuse. Given the rate at which civility continues to crumble between the political parties, one of these outcomes is highly likely before the year is out. References: 1. CBC Poll Tracker. Available at: https://newsinterac- tives.cbc.ca/elections/poll-tracker/canada/ 2. Rana, Abbas. 2021. “Trudeau’s Liberals behind or in toss – ups in 13 of 14 rural ridings that reduced them to minority in 2019, say pollsters.” The Hill Times. Available at: https://www.hilltimes.com/2021/04/05/ trudeau-2/291475 3. Bryden, Joan. 2021. “Bill to ensure safe voting during pandemic stalls as odds of federal election increase.” CBC News. Available at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/ politics/election-bill-pandemic-1.6014368 4. Llunggren, David. 2021. “Canada’s parliamentary backlog may serve as a trigger for early election.” Reuters. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/ world/canadas-parliamentary-backlog-may-serve- trigger-early-election-2021-04-30/ Dr. Lori Turnbull is the Director of the School of Public Administration at Dalhousie University and the deputy editor of Canadian Government Executive. THE LAST WORD If the Liberals want an election, but the NDP is not willing to defeat them, what is the path to a campaign? Constitutionally, the Prime Minister can request dissolution any time he wants but, politically, an election call that is seen as unnecessary is dangerous, particularly during a pandemic. Photo: The Office of the Prime Minister. PM Trudeau speaks media at the National Press Theatre. Ottawa. March 3, 2021.