Macleans' Kady O'Malley unearths some background material from one of NDP Leader Jack Layton's books, Speaking out louder. Layton writes about the last attempt at forming a coalition, one which was driven by Stephen Harper and Gilles Duceppe -- a coalition or minority government dependent on the Bloc Quebecois (Chantal Hébert also writes today) -- the very scenario Harper now blasts the opposition parties for having dared to agree upon. Petulance is a word that comes to mind.

Waiting outside Mr. Harper’s office for our meeting to begin, I asked Mr. Duceppe what he thought would happen if the prime minister refused to accept such an ultimatum. He replied that a government defeat so soon after a general election meant the Governor General would then have to turn “to one of us” to form a government. We both knew that meant Stephen Harper and his Conservatives. I asked Mr. Duceppe if he could accept such an eventuality. He was not only clear that he could, but he would.

Stephen Harper, while less inclined to brinksmanship, nevertheless warmed to the seduction of Mr. Duceppe’s strategy. Under this scenario, Mr. Harper would become prime minister in an informal alliance with the Bloc. Unthinkable? Not to either Mr. Harper or Mr. Duceppe. The Bloc leader was willing to strategize for Stephen Harper to become prime minister, despite the Conservatives’ many negative policies - policies completely contrary to the desires and values of most Quebecers. While shocked, I could not say I was surprised. ”Speaking out louder” by Jack Layton (p. 340)

Here in late 2008 it appears that Mr. Harper has shed his aversion to brinksmanship.