The big shrug: II

So Parliament is shut down until March, after the Olympics. I'm sure I'm not the only one asking how this move fits with the little chat that Prime Minister Stephen Harper had with the Governor-General a year and a bit ago. As I understand it, he was granted a stay of execution for his government on the understanding that he would make Parliament work.  

 Perhaps it's just me, but defying an order of Parliament to produce documents on Afghanistan, boycotting a Commons committee and then shutting down Parliament all together doesn't seem to fit with the "making it work" thing. More to the point, Jack Layton and Michael Ignatieff have made it clear in recent weeks and months that they're not about to provoke an election. So the PM can't make the argument that the opposition has made governing precarious. Nor can he legitimately argue that he needs a majority in the Senate. He is a minority Prime Minister, let's not forget. Canadians voted to keep a check on his power.

But of course, none of us know what Michaelle Jean told Harper during that longer-than-expected chat in December 2008. Who knows? Maybe she said that the Prime Minister should try to make Parliament work, unless the Olympics were on, and then all bets were off.

In the end, of course, it's not Michaelle Jean who has to approve this move. It's Canadians -- including you folks out there reading this -- who have to decide whether Harper has a legitimate reason to suspend the work of Parliament. Personally, I haven't heard one good reason yet. 

Comments

[Thane]

What does having a minority in the Commons have to do with the Senate? Yes, he is a MINORITY PM, but soon he'll have a MAJORITY in the Senate - I really don't see the contradiction there.

145 sessions of Parliament in 142 years. Proroguing after a year hardly seems revolutionary, given the averages. Besides, with the country now coming out of a recession, new priorities are needed - new priorities mean a new Throne Speech, as you well know.

[D.J. Allen]

Right on, Susan!

[Asleep in Ottawa]

Like many people about their marriage, Stephen Harper concluded that the secret his relationship with the opposition is that they talk as little as possible. Kind of sad, but pragmatism might yet save this relationship.

So... not much to do on the Hill for the next few weeks. Does that mean you get to go to the Olympics?

[wendy]

A sad day for Canada,and democracy.I hope Canadians take to the streets and protest and Harpers bully tactics backfire.

[Someone who cares]

I want you to know that I care, Susan. The Conservative opposition is trying to demoralize its opponents with polls and cynicism. But some things are worth fighting for. All those people who allegedly don't care pose no threat to those of us who do. Let those who want to take their blessings for granted enjoy their diminishing bread and Olympic circuses. If they don't care, they won't stop us from turning our country around.

Happy New Year, Susan!

[s.b.]

There is nothing unusual about ending a session of parliament after a year. And it is in fact Harper's responsibility as PM to fill the senate. I am so tired of commentators going on about nothing. That Afghan detainee story btw is only four years old and was dealt with three and a half years ago. Please try to coment on something of substance and relevance and stop making mountains out of molehills. Gee Afghan prisons aren't Shangri La. Who knew?

[jenna]

Perhaps we could have a little less hyperventilating around here. Parliament has been prorogued 20 times since 1963, by Trudeau, Mulroney and Chretien, so were each and every one of those prorogations "a sad day for Canada and democracy", or simply getting on with business ?

[wascally wabbit]

I've told Mr. Ignatieff - and I'll be telling Mr. Layton and M. Duceppe soon enough (and Ms. May knows how I feel).
If the four of them - any of the four - play politics - in these next few weeks - I'll organize a campaign to take any of them down personally.
What is needed now - for Canada - is a demonstration of statesman (or woman) ship - in the best interests of Canada. I don't care who reaches across the table first - though I hope it is Mr. Ignatieff - he has the most resting on this - I just want to see ALL the Opposition parties do what they should have finished last year - and kick this bum out!

[Anon]

Is this what thousands of Canadians gave their lives for in the First and Second World Wars so that we can get a PM like Harper and a govt that has no qualms about shutting down Parliament to escape being held to accountability? Canadians had better wake up and show their disapproval of both Harper and the GG. Fire them both and send this govt packing.

[Andrew the Lesser]

Who, outside of Ottawa, really gives a rat's ass whether parliament reconvenes in late January of early March?

[Margaret]

I am oddly happy to be spending New Year's Day composing emails for the other parties and the GG and others to protest that this is not a sane way to run a democracy. Once I vented on my blog and twitter which gets a lot of frustration out, then I can give several hours of my lifetime to this cause...we haven't got much of anything, if Harper can continue in these dictatorial ways, shutting down debate, investigation in committees and essentially playing a big chess game. I am sick of this, and what are a few more hours of protesting going to cost me? Or anyone else? Too bad, but it must be done.

[Cecil Crasto]

It is absolutely outrageous that Stephen Harper abuses his power as Prime Minister! Time and time again he has shown himself to be an unscruplous, conniving, petty politician!

But, he is a politician you may point out. Yet, what makes it so maddening is the fact that he started out wanting to reform the political process, that he elicited much hope in that regard in the hearts of people like myself, and finally that he is an evangelical Christian.

Sadly, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Evangelical Christians should feel embarrased that one of their own professes Christ as Lord in church yet doesn't model his behaviour in the workplace. Sure, he is a staunch supporter of Israel and an opponent of gay marriage, but I hope, they will have the moral courage to condemn him when he is unethical and behaves inappropriately, just as they surely praise him when he is "moral" and shares their political and social views.

[Dayton]

Did anyone ask Iggy about his year end remarks? Canadian's want an "ALTERNATIVE" but don't want an election? What did that mean? Read between the lines another attempted coup was in the works. Harper just beat them to the punch end of story!!!

[Marie]

Go ahead Cecil and brag about your beloved snake hero. You will one day wake up and see this man for the monster he really is and just because you support him doesn't mean he won't turn on you either. He is nothing but a child acting like he was 2 years old and you all are letting him get away with it giving him a free ride.

I can't wait to see the last of him for good. Sooner than later would be nice. Time for a coalition which at this point Canadians will support all the way to the polls. Money well spent I may add.

[MCBellecourt]

Michael Behiels of the Ottawa Citizen wrote an excellent piece titled "Stephen Harper's Not-So-Benign Dictatorship."

I concur with his article fully.

Ms. Delacourt, you have asked the questions in your article and thought the thoughts that people need to ponder seriously, and I thank you for that, and for all the good work that you do. With that, I wish you and yours the happiest of New Years! :)

[A.Political]

And Stephen Harper crowned himself King of Canada...democracy be damned, it is a sad day indeed for Canada.

Happy New Year fellow subjects of King Harper.

[MyThought]

Dayton spends all his time responding to blogs with his BS, paranoia and conspiracy theories and has very little understanding as to what's really going on.

It's time for Canadians to stand up to this expensive bully.

Why should PM/MP's get time off for the Olympics when Canadians have to work through it? And, remember, OUR taxpayers dollars went into the Olympics - we should pay for a government playing hookie and attending sports events?

Biggest hypocrites are the Tory supporters. They thought their Stevie was so honest, so accountable that they voted for him....then they support him anyway when he's lied, lied, spent, spent and played so much hookie. You have to wonder if they know what they really want or even understand it all - it sure looks like they're the lame brain sheep that Harper plays to. Their strategies is to treat them like they're dumb, repeat and repeat until they're brainwashed. What absolute fools.

And, why in hell isn't the media doing something here. They are part of the mind mind manipulation which is rather funny because Harper hates you media folks.

The country's gone insane

[Dahl Hallman]

Isn't the Governor General supposed to Represent everyone in Canada? Seems to me that all she is, is a puppet for Mr. Harper. Twice now she has proroguled parliament. This time she has done all Candians an injustice. Hope she has the forsight to turn Mr. Harper down when wants to put Six more senators in the senate. It,s her responsibility to appoint these people, or will she bow down to Harper again.

[MJH]

This is one more inside the Ottawa bubble stories that "ordinary Canadians" take little notice of. It is of major interest to political pundits and junkies, and some journalists. It extends nowhere beyond that.

[MJH]

When Iggy said he did not want an election but wanted to oust Harper he was undoubtedly referring to another unholy coalition of Separatists and Socialists representing Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.

[Clyde Gilmour]

No one could get along with Ignatieff or Layton because of their lust for power and that is why they try to discredit every move Harper makes. I would have had enough of them a long time ago. It is easy to criticize but the Liberals offer no positive input to help Canadians. Hell, they even voted against the Reno Tax Credit. Layton votes against budgets without even reading them. I support Harper 100% and think he is doing an amazing job dispite the fact that the Liberals and NDP will do anything to hinder his attempts. We don't have credible opposition parties right now but rather incompetent greedy self-serving politicians whose lust for power out-weighs their desire to help Canadians. Harper is on his own and doing a great job.