Nobody wants an election. MPs almost voted to have one anyway

Is there anyone inside the House of Commons who thinks what the country wants or needs right now is another federal election?

And if not, why was there such suspense and drama around this week's vote on the Liberal government's budget policy?

As much as those who work in and around Parliament Hill might appreciate anything that enlivens a dark, frigid November night in Ottawa, it's at least not obvious that this week's intrigue was, strictly speaking, necessary.

Some of the excitement can be put down to the fact that seemingly no one outside the NDP caucus knew how the seven New Democrats in the House were going to vote — or not vote, as it were — until the House clerks started calling the rolls. It's unusual for a party to maintain such an air of mystery for so long.

Elizabeth May, the lone Green MP, had theatrically stomped on the budget document a week ago, but decided a few hours before the vote to support the government. 

And then there is whatever happened with certain members of the Conservative caucus — two of whom didn't vote and two of whom claim to have encountered technical difficulties.

All the while, the Liberals seemed, at least outwardly, rather serene about the fate of their budget and not particularly desperate to broker some kind of bipartisan agreement.

All that made for an oddly suspenseful vote. But taken together this week's events might simply underline that MPs — and Canada's political culture writ large — are still figuring out this whole minority Parliament thing.

After the vote, the NDP's explanation was relatively straightforward, if also nuanced. They did not like the budget. But they also do not believe that Canadians want another federal election right now.

"The consequences of defeating this budget would not be to improve it or to help Canadians," interim NDP Leader Don Davies explained. "It would be to plunge the country into an election only months after the last one. And while we still face an existential threat from the Trump administration."

And so, five NDP MPs voted against the budget and two abstained, essentially assuring that an election wouldn't be triggered.

Of course, political nature abhors a nuance. Modern political fundraising and social media incentivize unequivocal positions and the demonization of one's opponents. In this atmosphere, votes in Parliament become measures of how principled or tough you are. 

But minority parliaments more or less require nuance, at least if they are to stay intact for more than a month or two.

Oftentimes when politicians say "Canadians" don't want elections, what they mean is that they themselves don't want an election. And it was quickly suggested that the New Democrats might have been acting in their own self-interest. They are a party without a permanent leader and, generally speaking, parties like to have leaders when contesting elections.