A few events in the recent past in the Canadian political landscape have been very similar to recent events in Goa.
1) The ruling federal Liberal party was running a minority govt. 2) The budget was due to be passed today. 3) Belinda Stronach, a billionaire and runner-up to present leader Stephen Harper, crossed the floor of the house, on Tuesday, from the Conservative Party to the Liberal party and was rewarded with a Cabinet position over all the backbenchers of the Liberal party. 4) Her ex-Conservative colleagues resorted to name-calling, expectedly 5) The budget was up for a vote today with the Conservatives a little mellow from their rhetoric of last week of wanting to bring down the government. When the votes were tallied there were an identical number, 152, that supported the motion to pass and reject the budget. The speaker cast his vote in favour of the government and the budget was passed. It was the first time in the history of Canada that the speaker of the House was forced to cast his vote. While it appears much of the above has happened recently in Goa there was no physical carrying of members out of the assembly or the improper counting or the Governor-general having to dismiss the government. While politicians appear to be the same self-serving individuals all over the world, depending on your political persuasions, neither the government survived the no-confidence motion nor the opposition won the right to call another election today. Ahh Democracy.......what a beast !! Best wishes - Bosco
