Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff has been almost universally condemned for suggesting that another federal election is needed.

It is interesting to note the reaction from the two other opposition leaders in Parliament. NDP leader Jack Layton is taking a much more cautious approach to an election than he was earlier, saying that his party wants to look closely at bills put forward by the Conservative government.

Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe, who ripped into Prime Minister Stephen Harper after the proposed coalition fell apart last December, said his party will assess bills in Parliament based on how they affect Quebec — his party’s standard take.

The two opposition leaders, while not endorsing the Conservatives, certainly sound like they are very reluctant to go into the fourth election campaign in five years — and they’re not alone. Most Canadians want no part of a federal election.

Polls suggest that many are happy with the series of minority governments that voters have elected since 2004. Many feel that, with no party having a majority, the federal government is forced to move more cautiously on issues, and isn’t up to its usual ‘busy work’ of designing new programs that please a few and cost everyone a lot of extra money.

Recent public opinion polls suggest that another minority government would be elected if there were an election. So why go through this exercise again? Elections are costly, and they are diversions from what governments should be doing — managing the affairs of the country.

Yes, it is important that the public be consulted regularly, but there are many ways to do so. Elections are not needed every 18 months or so.

The Liberals need to give their heads a shake and realize that they would likely be punished by voters if they were to force an election this year. Their job right now is to be a constructive opposition and keep pressure on the ruling Conservatives — not trigger an unwanted and unnecessary election.

—Frank Bucholtz