Posts Tagged ‘Election’
What a Horrible Decision
When I woke up this morning and looked at the clock, I thought about the different things I had to do today. Then my thoughts turned to the Governor General and Stephen Harper’s morning plans. Until about an hour and a half before their meeting I believed Jean would do the right thing and let Monday’s vote happen. But then I remembered that this same Prime Minister convinced this same Governor General that allowing him to break his own law for political advantage was ok, just a couple of months ago. If you’re her why turn back now?
Stephen Harper is the least democratic Prime Minister Canada has ever seen. Our Governor General refuses to use her authority to stand up to him and fully expect she will once again fail Canadians by not allowing the coalition to govern should they defeat Harper in the House.
The cold, hard reality is that while the position of Governor General has power on paper, it requires someone who is able to actually utilize their right to judgement to make it worthwhile. A former Premier, Speaker of the House or Senate makes perfect sense as they understand the game and have a legitimacy a journalist simply doesn’t in that position. They could have stood up and withstood the beating, because past experience qualified them to do so.
I think Jean will serve as a lesson for the need for Canada’s Governor General to have a political or legal background in future.
I may sound down or angry, I’m not really either though. I’m worried. I’m worried that Harper is doing irreversable damage to our system of Government and is able to hide from Parliament making it more irrelevant than in recent memory.
We need to stand up. We need to rally. We need to be heard. Forget about partisanship and focus on the right thing. I know it politics the right thing is often forgtotten, but in this case it must not be. Harper has lost the confidence of the House. That part we know. The House should be able to pick a new Prime Minister from within it’s ranks, but if it cannot because of a Governor General who will not beat down a dying bully, then she must desolve Parliament and let the people do it.
Either way there is a constitutional crisis. Parliament got screwed today and so did the people. We don’t have a letigimate government and regardless of how that must be resolved.
It sickens me that this will wait now until the end of January to be addressed. I simply cannot believe that this was allowed to happen. Harper can say a coalition is wrong and not democratic. He is wrong, but even still, Parliament should have the right to defeat the government, and they lost that right today. No matter what, that is wrong, and he and Jean are to blame.
3 Comments »Jack Layton and Stephen Harper Agree: Elizabeth May belongs in the debates
Dion on May’s Exclusion:
Speaking at a roundtable of women candidates this morning in Streetsville, Ont., Mr. Dion criticized Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and NDP Leader Jack Layton for not supporting her participation.
“They don’t have the courage to explain their position,” said Mr. Dion, suggesting his rivals are hiding behind the consortium’s decision. - Globe and Mail, posted September 10th at 10:14am
Layton’s Response:
Dogged by protesters and divisions within the ranks of his own party, Mr. Layton told reporters during a visit to a solar-panel company here Wednesday that the debate about the debate has become an unwanted distraction.
“I have only one condition for this debate, that the Prime Minister is there, because I want to debate the issues with him,” said Mr. Layton. “I don’t want to be debating the debate forever.” - Globe and Mail posted September 10th 2:24pm
Harper’s Response:
Mr. Layton’s change of heart put the onus squarely on the shoulders of Mr. Harper to decide where the block against Ms. May will remain.
Conservative spokesman Kory Teneycke said the Tories are dropping their opposition to Ms. May participating in the debate, saying they don’t want to be the odd man out on the matter. - Globe and Mail posted September 10th 2:24pm
The media oligarchs have not yet replied… perhaps the crow they must be eating for lunch isn’t sitting well.
Question for Stephen Harper… is Stephane Dion still not a leader? Does he just set the agenda?
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