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Taking democracy for granted

Having lunch with a friend today we realized that we were both voting Liberal for the same reason:  The Conservatives’ assault on our democratic system.  In politics it is often the small things that need to be watched.  Unfortunately, few are watching the small but important things. 

First assault was the Prorogation a very Canadian move by the governor general that allows for the suspension of parliament.  It was used by the conservative government as a way to stop the three opposition parties from forming a government.  Never mind that this all started because Canada’s minister of defense refused to answer some embarrassing questions on the action of Canada’s troops in Afghanistan.

The second assault occurred just a few weeks before the recent budget failed and the minority conservative government lost a vote of no-confidence (leading to the election of May 2nd).  This was the Minister of International Cooperation Bev Oda who LIED to parliament.

In a federal parliamentary democracy such as what we have in Canada two things are important, first the government is elected by having a majority of seats in parliament, and one member is chose to become the Prime Minister – all his authority derives from being a dully elected member of parliament chose by his colleagues to be the Queen’s prime minister (same concept as the British system).  When Harper decided to prorogue parliament he was no longer the chosen member of parliament (by a majority of his parliamentary colleagues), that role fell on Ignatief’s Liberals that has the support of the other opposition parties to form the government.  The Conservative (and the Queen’s representative) we involved in a coup d’etat It sounds bad and it is bad, but this is a real shift and it is possible that the next government may use this again, as  a way to retain power when you have lost the authority of the parliamentary chamber.

As for Ms Oda – showing here true incompetence and willingness to lie to parliament with immunity is a first (some others probably lied but were never caught).  From now on Minister (who BTW are representative of the Chamber) are able to lie – the death of parliamentary democracy at the hands of the conservatives.

For this reason alone, a fundamental principal in Canadian politics the bums must be thrown out!

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