The Civic vs. Therapeutic State

The therapeutic state is one in which a general election costing $200 million is considered more expensive than $4 billion to $5 billion in promises made by the party in power to stave off any desire for election among the public.
burkean canadian via lorne gunther

Russ Kuykendall explains what was at stake as the Liberals ran roughshod over constitutions convention in order to cling to power. And he should know: he spent years working on Parliament Hill in the Whips' office.