Being the selectively political animal I am, my own impressions of the current coalition furor are of a more ambivalent sort than the unilateral tone of elation from my compatriots over at the Department of Culture, who take this move as a victory for their cause: as is their right and responsibility as political activists. But seeing as I don’t self-identify as such, my own ambiguous opinion might be better illustrated with an example from Doctor Who.

In the episode ‘Girl in the Fireplace,’ David Tennant’s Doctor - along with his companion Rose, her boyfriend Mickey, and a horse - confronts a crew of clockwork robots on board a derelict spaceship that are stalking Madame de Pompadour through time portals on the ship in hopes of harvesting her brain as their new computer, or something. Seriously. I couldn’t make that shit up.

The robots are ruthless but highly practical and immaculately designed, so much so that despite the fact that they wield giant scary blades and hide under a little girl’s bed, the Doctor can’t help but gawk in amazement at their craftsmanship:

“Oh, you are beautiful! No, really, you are, you’re gorgeous! Look at that! Space-age clockwork, I love it, I’ve got chills!”

And that is probably the best summary of my reaction to the Liberal/NDP/PQ-on-the-side coalition. As an idea, this is incredible and awe-inspiring on a certain level, but it’s also got knives. Big, fuck-off shiny knives that I still can’t help but admire, because how long have we waited for Canadian politics to grow a pair and finally become the sort of beast that will incite the public to react?

The coalition isn’t the best idea, but it is an idea. This is something people can sink their teeth into, something that will force a confrontation with the fact that Harper isn’t the man for this job. But I don’t think Dion is the man for that job either, and I don’t think Dion and Layton slipping into bed with Duceppe, sexy though that might be, is what I had in mind either.

This is an opportunity, not a victory. This is the change that Obama wrapped up in a tidy package but that we’ll have to glean out of one hell of a flawed parliamentary process before we get our share.

And frankly, there is far more at stake here than the interests of culture. Respect for the arts will need far more work than a victory march for an unelected coup. Don’t be seduced by the pretty clockwork robot from the future: admire it for its awesomeness, but take it apart while you do so. If there’s an election to come - and I certainly hope that will be the case - maybe we can make something better out of all those shiny gears and bits.

And just in case my lukewarm reaction to the coalition leaves any fellow artists in doubt, here’s a picture of Stephen Harper getting the smackdown from a baby.

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