You may have heard that the New Democratic Party just “ripped up the [supply and confidence] agreement” with Liberal Party here in Canada. The drama of politics is unfolding into an inevitable instability in our country. And it’s only in a matter of time. In case we’re wondering what that means, the Liberals with 158 seats in Parliament are currently a minority government 10 seats short of a majority. A “supply and confidence” agreement allows the NDP with only 25 seats in Parliament (the smallest by far of the three major parties) to bolster the Liberals with enough votes to act like a majority government, thus being able to set the country’s budget (supply) and have the ability to introduce laws (confidence). With the deal no longer on the table, the Liberal government would not be able to pass any bills or act effectively as government. If they fail a confidence vote, the Prime Minister must resign and government must be dissolved. Why is the parliamentary system set up like this? The basic idea is to create accountability, where the opposition is able to keep the majority in check. Instead, we have made it a den of vipers, pushing through unjust laws and making political power a goal rather than a tool. It is not a surprise that we are encountering the instability that we now face.
As I consider what is happening in Canadian Parliament, I am reminded of the letter of Paul to the Corinthians. Just as in the secular Canadian stage 2000 years after the first epistle to the Corinthians was written, the Corinthian church was a den of vipers vying for power through division. Everyone had a party line: “I am of Paul”; “I am of Apollos”; “I am of Christ”. The balance of power belongs to how one can strategically align oneself with others for the purpose of gaining an advantage. In the end, Paul says, we all act like infants, immature in our thinking, darkened in our wisdom and sinful in our walk. The warnings land squarely in the halls of government of our land. As the days progress, we will find talk of an election close at hand in Canada. Promises, popularity, personality and policies will flood our consciousness as we cascade into a race for votes. May I ask for us to pray for righteousness in our country? May I prompt us to pray for unity among our leaders? May I call each of us to ask for God’s mercy to be poured out on our nation? And may we be the mind of Christ in a world of derision.
