For a party that's saying Canadians don't need an election in the coming months, the Conservatives and Prime Minister Stephen Harper are doing everything in their power to get ready for one.
As he was shuffling his cabinet on Friday, Harper said the county's economic recovery couldn’t afford to be disrupted by an unnecessary election. Speaking to reporters outside Rideau Hall following the minor shuffle, Harper said the momentum gathered in recent months could be threatened should more economic uncertainty be touched off by an election.
The prime minister said the recovery is still very fragile and could very well be threatened if there's a break in the country's economic action plan that included spending millions in stimulus money from one end of the country to the other.
What is interesting regarding the prime minister's comments are recent polls that indicate his party's lead has narrowed considerably over the past few weeks. The Conservatives were salivating at the prospect of a majority government.
A new Ekos poll suggests the Conservatives' lead over the Liberals has essentially been eliminated with both parties neck and neck in the polls.
We can only hope the prime minister is true to his word and tries to avoid that election he says no one wants. That means working with the other parties in the House of Commons to make government work for Canadians and help overcome any lingering doubts about the country's economy.
Elections have been fought before during tough economic times and it won’t be the end of the world if it happens again. Still, there is a clear message for all parties – not just the Tories – to end the bickering and get to work.
