The government of Canada is trying to avoid defeat by SUSPENDING the legislature of Canada. Think that through in terms of concepts like "accountability", what does it mean?
Canada has a mechanism by which the elected representatives of the people can bring the government to heel--it can pass a motion of no confidence, forcing the government to resign. That is pretty much the ONLY mechanism in our system by which the people's elected representatives can hold a government to account.
Such a motion has been tabled, and to avoid defeat at the hands of the elected representatives the Government of Canada is proposing to suspend ("prorogue") Parliament until further notice.
There is NOTHING less democratic than suspending a legislature that is attempting to hold a government to account.
There is NOTHING more dangerous to democracy than a leader who feels that he can simply cancel democratic processes in order to avoid a vote the result of which he won't like.
This is tantamount to cancelling an election because you know you won't like the outcome. This verges on a Prime Minister trying to seize dictatorial power.
Really.
Suppose that Harper simply suspends the legislature permanently and rules without resort to the legislature whatsoever for the next five years???
Suppose he decides he simply isn't interested in dropping the writ when his five years are up???? If he can suspend the legislature at his whim, why not that too?
There MUST be a limit on the power that the Prime Minister can wield, there must be a check on his ability to manipulate the system to avoid being held to account.
There is fortunately--The Governor General of Canada has the power to deny his request and/or dismiss him as Prime Minister.
It is high time she does so, we have a Prime Minister who believes himself to be above democratic processes and he needs to be brought to heel in the name of democracy.
Canada has a mechanism by which the elected representatives of the people can bring the government to heel--it can pass a motion of no confidence, forcing the government to resign. That is pretty much the ONLY mechanism in our system by which the people's elected representatives can hold a government to account.
Such a motion has been tabled, and to avoid defeat at the hands of the elected representatives the Government of Canada is proposing to suspend ("prorogue") Parliament until further notice.
There is NOTHING less democratic than suspending a legislature that is attempting to hold a government to account.
There is NOTHING more dangerous to democracy than a leader who feels that he can simply cancel democratic processes in order to avoid a vote the result of which he won't like.
This is tantamount to cancelling an election because you know you won't like the outcome. This verges on a Prime Minister trying to seize dictatorial power.
Really.
Suppose that Harper simply suspends the legislature permanently and rules without resort to the legislature whatsoever for the next five years???
Suppose he decides he simply isn't interested in dropping the writ when his five years are up???? If he can suspend the legislature at his whim, why not that too?
There MUST be a limit on the power that the Prime Minister can wield, there must be a check on his ability to manipulate the system to avoid being held to account.
There is fortunately--The Governor General of Canada has the power to deny his request and/or dismiss him as Prime Minister.
It is high time she does so, we have a Prime Minister who believes himself to be above democratic processes and he needs to be brought to heel in the name of democracy.