A Matter of When

In the 95 years since confederation, only once--in 1926--has a Canadian government been toppled from power by losing a vote in the House of Commons. Last week Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, 67, met Parliament for the first time since last June's elections, commanding a shaky conservative minority of 116 members in the 265-seat Commons. As Governor General Georges Vanier read the traditional speech from the throne setting forth the minority government's legislative program, the question was not so much whether the government will tumble, thrusting Canada into a new national election, but when.

Playing for Time. The Diefenbaker government, bidding for time to restore its shattered fortunes, is determined to govern as long as the House will have it--or at least until John Diefenbaker senses an advantageous issue on which to go to the country. Nobel Prizewinner Lester B. Pearson's opposition Liberals, controlling 100 seats and sensing that their time is ripe, are equally keen to bring the Tories down for an election, if possible before Christmas. The government's life thus hangs by the thread of approval of two minor parties that hold the tender balance of power: the right-wing Social Credit (30 seats) and the socialist New Democratic (18 seats), whose loud disdain for Tory policies is matched only by their desire to play for time before a new election.

Diefenbaker's legislative program was shaped to offer something for everyone--and nothing, so the Tories hoped, to unify the opposition to the point of making common cause. Mainly, his proposals sought to attack the chronic economic ills that last June forced Ottawa to impose a belt-tightening austerity program to ease Canada's imbalance of international payments. The Tories promised to balance the budget (after five straight deficits), to create 1,000,000 new jobs in the next five years, and to set up a brain-trusting National Economic Development Board to plan economic growth.

Warm Welcome. The throne speech also chose its words carefully for international consumption, reflecting a sharp and necessary change in the government's attitude toward foreign business--chiefly U.S. It promised removal of austerity tariff surcharges imposed in June "as soon as circumstances permit," and extended a warm welcome to foreign investors: "Canada's foreign development will continue to require imports of capital, and to this end will maintain a climate hospitable to foreign investment." As evidence of the clearing climate, the Tories are expected to remove a 15% tax on dividend payments to foreign investors imposed in December 1960.

The hungry opposition immediately attacked the government's program. Pearson called it "disappointing and inadequate," called on the two minor parties to support a Liberal motion of no-confidence in the government this week. They in turn denounced the legislative agenda as vigorously as Pearson, suggesting that while they might not join him this week, they will when they think the time is ripe.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.