So this is the state of Confederation: A Quebec that has no detectable interest in the rest of the country. An Alberta that has no need to be interested. An Ontario turned inward and self-interested. A British Columbia that has always been detached from the others behind its mountains. And a Newfoundland, highly likely to soon to cease being a have-not province because of off-shore oil and that has historically always been detached.

I agree that a minority Conservative government will have serious difficulties governing. If they do form a government, which looms as possible if not likely, I think their honeymoon will be brief. A snarled up and fractious government plus their own inevitable scandals – what government avoids scandal? – and Canadians will be back to cynically bashing the feds.

The article I just linked to above talks about the most important undercurrent of this entire election, national unity. I think we are heading for a crucial time in this country’s history, where Canadians across the nation make up their minds about whether or not we share a destiny. With their emphasis on power being shifted from the federal government to the provinces, a Conservative government may change the landscape of federation considerably.

Then again, as I write that, I think about what it’s saying – that those in power will work to lessen their power. The lessons of human nature say the opposite is likely. If the Conservatives intend to keep this country together, how will they do it? Can they do it? The province most likely to bail, as always, is Quebec, and their liberal social attitudes conflict with the Conservatives. But the other province to keep an eye on is Alberta. If the Conservatives win, Albertans will be overjoyed.

Lots to consider, that’s for sure.

“Voting in the Conservatives to punish the Liberals for corruption is like putting a 20% tariff on American fruits and vegetables to punish the US for the softwood lumber dispute. It might hurt them, but we’re still the ones that will have to pay.”