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Monday, December 22, 2008

the prime minister is parliament.

For Canadians keeping score, in the last four months of 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has:

- Called an election and dissolved Parliament in October 2008, a year earlier than the Conservative Party's own legislation that set a fixed election date for October 2009.

- Had Parliament prorogued to avoid losing a vote of non-confidence by the majority of the elected Members of Parliament.

- Made 18 patronage appointments to Canada's unelected Senate.

- Filled a vacancy to the Supreme Court of Canada by bypassing a parliamentary review process that his own party fought to institute.

10 comments:

Beijing York said...

Now if only the corporate media would point this out!

Denny said...

The corporate media is too busy competing for Senate appointments.

Bum Atom said...

screw the government, in the ....
Canadians suck
Oh and I can't read so im just being an .....LOL

Gauntlet said...

I just saw the Cat in the Hat. There's a scene where someone suggests to the little girl that she could be president, or some such thing, and she replies, "In a constitutional monarchy, the parliament has all the power."

My honours canadian political science degree allowed me to retort "umm... sorta."

Tuition well spent, hey?

Lisa said...

Well done Dave! A few more deserving items IMHO:

Insisted that a minority is a mandate, therefore refusing to work with other parties in any way or even acknowledge their role as duly elected representatives of voters who disagree with him. Forced the issues until there was no other way but to put a stop to him.

Insisted only a month ago that there is no need for a stimulus package because there is no recession and Canada's economy is fine. After the election was over, and faced with a confidence vote with this as a central issue, he is suddenly concerned about the economy.

Also insisted only a month ago that there would be no deficits; indeed, there would be a surplus. Now after the election is over and there is no way of denying the recession any longer, he has predicted a deficit of ever-increasing size and time span.

Refused to do anything of substance for the manufacturing industries of Ontario and Quebec until faced with a non-confidence vote with this as an issue.

Attempted to form a coalition govt with the sovereigntists in 2004, and later announced Quebec as a 'Nation' in an attempt to appease them, yet was very quick to throw them under the bus to try to save his own skin. Purposely incited divisiveness and stereotyping between Canadians for selfish ends.

Has continually and relentlessly perpetuated lies about electoral and parliamentary processes in this country in an attempt to garner support from the public.

...Sorry for the long post, but I'm more than a little disgusted by such abuses.

Anonymous said...

Though in all of this patronage there is one appointment that remains empty that everyone is forgetting: Independent investigator into the Maple Leaf listeriosis outbreak.

His/her report is due in less than three months.

Anonymous said...

So if Harper is so bad, he would have easily been defeated in an election right?

Anonymous said...

"So if Harper is so bad, he would have easily been defeated in an election right?"

Not in our system. In our system, 40% (or less) of the vote can mean 60% of the seats and 100% of the power. Neat stuff, right?

But Harper didn't even get 40%. Almost. But not quite.

Despite a hopelessly ineffective Liberal leader and an overwhelming monetary advantage over all of his opponents - I mean, the Conservatives have more cash on-hand then all the rest of them, put together - Harper still only managed to fight the Opposition parties to an effective draw.

That must have been humiliating.

Robert Vollman said...

The only difference between the Conservatives and the Liberals is that the Liberals aren't dishonest about stuff like this.

Robert Routledge said...

No, the Liberals are just dishonest about finances :).