On stability

The main sales pitches for the coalition so far have been its relatively progressive viewpoint, its democratic roots, and the prospect of better management than Harper has shown any interest in delivering. But it's worth noting that stability in government should be an equally strong point - and at least one of the leaders involved is making the case publicly:

Even if the budget is passed, he warned of a period of instability.

"Everyone will be talking if there will be an election. Every month, it'll be a new crisis," said Layton.

On the other hand, the Liberal-NDP coalition, with support from the Bloc Québécois, would offer a stable government, he said.

The point should have plenty of resonance for partisans and non-partisans alike. For those who aren't particularly beholden to any single party, the question is whether or not the Cons will get their way in forcing yet another federal election - either immediately, or whenever they can sufficiently poison a bill to force a non-confidence vote. Given that Harper has already shown that he's more interested in brinksmanship than dealing with the economy, the almost inevitable result would be another trip to the polls as soon as the Cons could arrange it - giving the Cons yet another $300 million do-over while leaving the country with even less pretense of management in the midst of a crisis.

And for partisans within the opposition parties, the appeal of a stable coalition should be even more obvious. The Libs surely don't want to go through another year or more of Harper threatening to pull the pin on Parliament at any moment and forcing through regressive legislation based on their submitting to Harper's will. And while the NDP and the Bloc have managed to avoid that difficulty by signaling their intentions early, they'd presumably be glad for at least a brief respite from the need to be prepared for an election at any moment.

All of which means that there's a solid set of points which should make the coalition appeal to Canadians at large: better, more progressive, more democratic, and more stable. And the more that message can reach the public over the course of the holiday season, the more likely we'll be to be rid of Harper before the winter is over.