But Seriously
An open letter to Jack Layton and Stephane DionDear honourable members,
It is my understanding that you and your parties have worked out an agreement to attempt to topple the current Canadian government. I refuse to mince words about how I feel about this blatant attempt at subverting the Canadian people’s democratic rights. It is unfathomable that in a free democratic nation like Canada that your parties would engage in such totalitarian-style politics. This affront to the democratic process will not stand with average Canadians. clear conservative thought
There is a good deal of this sort of chest thumping over at the Blogging Tories. What it ignores is the fact that Harper did not win a majority, that it is open to the Opposition to, at any time, put forward a leader who claims to enjoy the confidence of the House, and that this is within the finest traditions of Parliament.
“Clear Conservative Thought”, the fact of the matter is that well over 60% of Canadians did not vote CPC in the recent election. The people’s democratic rights extend to a Parliament which addresses their concerns and a government capable of either doing what the majority (albeit misguided) wants or explaining why it should not. PM Harper has failed on both accounts.
There is nothing in the least “totalitarian” about seeking alternatives to an unresponsive government. In fact, it is parliamentary democracy at its finest.
Harper seems intent on ignoring his own Party in Convention and he seems equally intent on bringing this Parliament to a premature close. Both are entirely at his option; but there will be a price to pay when the next election is called.
Frankly, to date, Harper has proven himself barely capable of governing. He has been lucky in his Leader of the Opposition. However, he knows that his luck will not hold. Lame characterizations of the fact Dion “was not elected” as Prime Minister demonstrate a fundamental lack of seriousness on the part of Harper.
We are in serious times. We deserve and will get a serious Prime Minister. Either the one sitting or his replacement.
Grown ups Rule.
Still say that this is a hilarious turn of events.
Amen to that!
Harper is just honest enough about what he wants to do as minority Prime Minister that he’ll risk losing rather than operate hamstrung.
That level of honesty is rare.
That doesn’t mean his positions are fabulous—but it does mean they’re the real deal.
All the opposition has is plans to “spend us back into prosperity”...as if that’s ever worked, carefully picking and choosing which industries/workers comprise the largest solid voting blocs (for maximum power maintenance) and choosing which workers will have to, instead, only pay for the programs.
Seriously? Maybe you’d rather that somebody tell you when they’re going to hit you over the head with a stick before they do it, but I fail to see how that really helps things at all, or is an any way morally redeeming of the fact that they are hitting somebody over the head with a stick. In this case, I suppose it’s nice to hear real confirmation of Harper’s pettiness and inability to work collaboratively for the good of the country, but I just don’t think that helps.
Ok, but “spend[ing] us back into prosperity” would have stopped Japan’s deflationary spiral; the general consensus now in the US is that Keynes was, more or less, right on the money (granted given the history of those economists making that call, well, grain of salt); and Canada has a $120B infrastructure deficit at the moment, due to 80% of our infrastructure being in need of repair/replacement (scary but true). Did you know that there are still wooden water pipes in parts of Ottawa?
So what do you suggest? Given the amount of debt Canadians carry, any direct stimulus would not stimulate, since that money already exists – it’s like sucking it down a black hole. It would not increase consumer confidence because it would be a one-time thing and not something that you can plan a future around. Don’t think we need stimulus? Then you’d better have words with such left-wing institutions as the IMF, because you clearly know something they don’t.
We did not vote for a Lib/NDP coalition, supported by the Bloc,
therefore this thing should be put to a vote, that is true democracy.
“Lame characterizations of the fact Dion “was not elected” as Prime Minister demonstrate a fundamental lack of seriousness on the part of Harper.”
Jay if your going to play this game of semantics over what mandate was sent by the public, the argument ensues as to whether they voted for the party or the leader.
For those who:
A) voted against Dion
B) Voted against the LPC, NDP, BQ
C) Voted for Harper
D) voted for CPC
An arbitrary opposition coup , regardless of parliamentary procedural legalities, is an affront to the democratic will. Coalition governing also means more whipped votes for MPs and that elevates partisan agendas over constituent will.
I also submit to you that a large minority of people (41%) did not vote and it is the height of autocratic arrogance to presume they are happy with any governing arrangements made by parliament. With the 2008 election having the lowest voter participation ever (59%) the opposition parties having only 28-14% of that 59% really gives them no mandate to do anything more than criticize government…it certainly gives Harper with 39% of 59% no mandate for any party agenda….but hey, we’ve lived with this patrician colonial system for too long to desire a more accurate and just way of determining popular will.
Until such time as we elect PMs separately from parliament and have proper impeachment, recall laws and routine referendums, this bloodless political coup process (nonconfidence/coalition leadership) serves no one but the parties and their benefactors….it is a machination of 18th century partisan autocracy and does not defer to popular will.
Parliamentary reform anyone? Come on… you know we need it.
Quite true, the opposition has every right and even the responsibility to try to get their issues addressed in Parliament.
But when the big issue that really gets them excited is their own subsidy for their party, not any practical issue of any interest to their constituents I hardly call that an example of Grown Ups coming to rule.
I do appreciate the refreshing honesty of the spectacle, though. The opposition parties have been happy to acquiesce to almost anything Harper wanted to do as a minority government, but once their own gravy train was on the block they and their media mouthpieces finally have something that stirs them to actual opposition.
This shouldn’t really come as any surprise to anyone who has paid to attention to the Liberal party, but the shameless clarity of it all and the willingness of the media to go to bat for them is certainly a sight to behold.
The people of Canada are going to be mugged in a very big way if they ‘children of the left’ have their way for awhile. They might even get along while raiding the treasury. They will end up squabbling and fall apart early on though and we will have an election soon enough. They will pay at that time.
Meanwhile, I believe Canadian should act through the withholding of our income taxes and collected consumption … the GST.
That would require the cooperation of all small business. After only one quarter the feds would be very cash strapped.
I don’t suggest evasion of tax, merely withholding until we can have an election to decide yet again, who will govern.
Chest thumping aside, eliminating the vote benefit and not joining the the rest of the word in pumping water from the deep end to the low end of the pool are two policies I can firmly get behind.
Not enough to convonce me to vote, but it does make explaining why not a little harder.
Renee, with respect: I’m no fan of the IMF. When it comes to economics (after much investigation) I’m pretty much Austrian.
Must agree, Jay, and also with you later post “Memories”. Had the opposition parties coalesced to replace the Libranos in 2004 we would all have been cheering.
We have to separate our disapproval of a Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition from the mechanism, which is an essential part of parliamentary government. WLMcK, your ostensible grandson Mr. King—the slimiest politician ever to defile this country—would have said much the same thing as Harper just did; and would have been just as wrong. We elect parliaments, not governments, and if people vote without that in mind they are misusing their ballot.
Er, one more thing. We don’t need parliamentary “reform”. We need parliamentary government. The real kind.