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4) A proroguement keeps the Liberals out of danger

“As it is, they’re in a minority government, the house would completely break down and they would run the risk in the middle of a leadership contest, if the PCs and the NDP really want to cause trouble, [of facing a] non-confidence vote, which would really throw them into a mess,” said Henry Jacek, a professor of political science at McMaster University. After Lester B. Pearson resigned in February, 1968, his minority government was defeated and he had to scramble to prevent an election before a new leader was chosen — Mr. McGuinty likely saw that as a cautionary tale, Mr. Jacek said.

5) The Liberals get a fresh start

“It works for McGuinty in the sense that he’s leaving a clean slate for his successor,” Mr. Franks said. “The successor is not burdened with bills that he or she might not want, they can start all over again.” Some see this as simply a cop-out —an escape from the typical troubles of government. The “rancour” Mr. McGuinty mentioned is just part of politics, Mr. Loewen said, and if he couldn’t ease it, he could call an election. “McGuinty is saying he’s having trouble coming to a wage freeze agreement with the unions…That’s tough, but sorry – you’re the minority government. So to say that you want to stop political rancour within the legislature so that you can then go about the business of governing is to miss the point of why you’re in the legislature to begin with.”

6) Prorogation kills

With a clean slate comes a lot of lost time and effort. Unfortunately for the opposition, their bills go out the window too — this includes an NDP bill banning teenagers from going to tanning salons. On Tuesday, both PC leader Tim Hudak and NDP leader Andrea Horwath urged Mr. McGuinty to resume the legislature not just to do the work taxpayers elected them to do, but to salvage the committee on the power plants too. “Everybody realizes that minority parliament isn’t easy, and certainly the McGuinty Liberals had a hard time trying to figure out how to deal with it, but the answer isn’t to simply throw up your hands and walk away,” said Ms. Horwath.

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