The Press MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1972. By grace not favour in Canada

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33066, 6 November 1972, Page 16

The Press MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1972. By grace not favour in Canada

Mr Trudeau has chosen to remain Prime Minister of Canada although his Liberal Party has not even a majority of one over the biggest Opposition party, the Progressive Conservatives led by Mr Robert Stanfield. In the latest count, besides the 218 seats which the two main parties share equally, the new Canadian House of Commons will have 30 New Democrats, 15 Social Creditors, and one Independent In this condition, where Mr Trudeau will govern by the grace of the other parties, mainly the New Democrats, the durability of his Administration must be in doubt—as would that of any Administration that took its place. To be defeated in a Parliamentary vote, in any case, might provide Mr Trudeau with the opportunity to go out with a bang rather than a whimper.

Together, the Liberals and the New Democrats would have a working majority, but the New Democrats’ Mr Lewis, who made several biting attacks on Mr Trudeau’s Government, has rejected the idea of a coalition; Mr Stanfield rejects the suggestion that his party would vary its policies to win the support of another party. The Left-wing Mr Lewis could topple the Liberals but would then have to put up with a Government from which he would be further removed in sympathy. By dislodging a Government once Mr Lewis might win himself a historic significance; by dislodging a Government twice he might come to be regarded as a historic nuisance. Barring misadventure—always a risk when parties are close—the most likely outcome is another election soon.

Such an election would probably be fought on the same issues as the election just completed: Inflation, unemployment, the American domination of the Canadian economy, and Quebec separatism. Inflation and unemployment were the most significant but Mr Lewis is believed to have won some support for his attacks on multi-national corporations, which he picturesquely described as “ corporate welfare “ bums Mr Trudeau gave concessions to the corporations because they provide considerable employment Canada has for long lived with an awareness of America’s power and Canada’s unemployment. In the 1968 election Mr Trudeau won with 155 seats and Canada seemed to be in for an exciting time under an exciting Prime Minister. In 1972 the Canadians knew that their problems had not disaoneared under Trudeau magic. It was a vote of disillusion. If. in the next few mouths, Mr Trudeau manages to cling to nower and bring the unemployment figures down it may be enough to win him a less uneasy position.