Catch 22 For Dion

Not only is it beautifully written and expertly constructed, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Throne Speech marks both a move of incredible political prowess and foresight. This document outlines the direction in which the Conservative Party of Canada plans to take the country, it also may serve as a form of political security for the party.

Upon deliverance of the Throne Speech, the Opposition, led by Stephane Dion, was given a choice of whether to support the plan of the Conservatives or to vote against it and plunge the country into a winter election. The problem lies in the fact that, according to recent polls, Canadians aren't yet ready to see a Liberal in the Prime Minister's Office. Furthermore, the polls also show that Canada's voters aren't familiar enough with Stephane Dion to trust him with leadership of the nation quite yet.

This presents Dion with a dilemma, if the leader of the Opposition disagrees strongly enough with the Conservative policy outlined in the Throne Speech to call an election, he had better be prepared to put everything he's got into taking down the Conservative Government and yielding his party, at best, a minority leadership.

If Dion decides to grudgingly accept the Throne Speech and refuses to take his party into an election, some political scientists foresee that Canadians could find Dion to be a weak and malleable leader. As well as a supposed disheartened voting population, Dion may also have to be worried about the thoughts, opinions, and overall confidence level of his Liberal Party MPs.

For Dion, this one decision may result in a poor credibility with Canadians especially if following the delivering of the speech, Liberal MPs show that they disagree with the decision of Dion, whatever that may be.