Although some people were surprised, the results of the June 28 election are not really surprising. The government will be a minority. The Bloc Quebecois won big in Quebec. And it was Ontario which finally decided the question as to who would form the minority government — the Liberals, with the NDP almost having the balance of power.

Given all the possibilities, what happened is the least bad of the possible scenarios. The Liberals paid for their mistakes (but not too much). Atlantic and Central Canada (Quebec and Ontario) said no to the rise of the right. Quebec showed without question its “distinctness.” And the NDP, despite some disappointment began its comeback. Finally, the West reminded us yet again that it is hopelessly conservative.

But this campaign will be above all remarkable for the absence of debate on fundamental questions — the economy, social programs, foreign affairs, cultural sovereignty and others. What should have been major issues and the subjects of big debates were not really dealt with. What were we waiting for before the big stakes of the election were announced? No one really knows what was at stake. It will likely be the parliamentary alliances who decide.

First among these alliances must surely be that of the Liberal Party and the NDP, which constitutes the most positive — or least negative — alliance for progressives. A second should be the BQ and the NDP on the major issues for which these two parties have similar positions — Kyoto, anti-missile defense, foreign affairs, cultural sovereignty. The BQ and NDP should lean this way together to get maximum mileage from this exceptional conjuncture which, if the game is well played could advance several progressive policies.

The game of political alliances also carries with it certain risks but unlike the situation of simple opposition, it sometimes allows breakthroughs. For example, the NDP could get the Liberals to finally open up the debate on electoral reform. One thing is certain: Monday’s result eliminated the blank cheque which the Liberals have had for 13 years. They too now have to play the game of alliances if they don’t want to be overturned at the first bump in the road. Our electoral and parliamentary systems do not train our political class to work in alliance, to look for compromises, or listen to citizens’ demonstrations. Rather in parliamentary majorities, the party in power is often arrogant and the opposition parties, while sometimes courageous, are often stupid.

Potentially we can gain the maximum result from this election because for at least a time the Liberals cannot do as they have done in the past and unilaterally impose their vision. Even if it doesn’t last long, the conditions for change are greatly improved. Everything is in place to pull the centre more to the left or more to the right, above all in light of the American elections in a couple of months.

At the top of the agenda should be the debate on electoral reform as well as the essential debate on how to practice democracy and how to renew it if we don’t want to lose ground. Here we can look to the example of our neighbours to the south — to Brazil, for example. Dare we hope that the results of the June 2004 elections will mean that asking and answering these questions can become a reality?