Winners form governments

Re: Decoding The Coalition Government, July 24. I am loathe to correct Carissima Mathen, but the Conservative Party, as the government, has the constitutional right to “meet the house” regardless, if it wins 168 seats or 16 seats. Now, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said “winners form government” so perhaps a new convention will emerge that the “leader who’s returned the most number of seats” forms a government. Practical realities might also decide the issue. But, for now, the Conservatives get first crack at mustering a majority, regardless of the result.

Ranjan Agarwal, Toronto.