As Canadian democracy spirals further down the drain:
Prime Minister Stephen Harper will prorogue Parliament Wednesday for a two-month break.
The House of Commons and the Senate will come back in March, after the Vancouver Olympics, for a Speech from the Throne and a budget. The move will have the effect of stalling all bills currently in Parliament, including crime bills that the government had said were being delayed by the opposition.
A post-Olympic return would also shut down government committees, which would stop MPs from pursuing the Afghan detainee controversy until Parliament returned.
Question: In what other democracy is it permissible for the government of the day to hide from the legislature for months at a time? To ignore explicit parliamentary votes demanding the production of documents? To stonewall independent inquiries? Perhaps the rules allow it elsewhere, but is it the practice? Does convention not still forbid it? Is it not viewed in other countries as dictatorial behaviour, and therefore, you know … not done?
So, rather than submit himself to the inquiries of elected parliamentarians, the King will dismiss Parliament, in the grand tradition of kings past. The question is: what will Parliament do now? If historical precedent is any guide, it should meet anyway. Let those MPs who wish to do the people’s business convene on the usual timetable, and let those with other loyalties disport themselves as they may.
If MPs are barred at the doors to Parliament — and wouldn’t that be an interesting scene — let them meet somewhere else. A tennis court would do nicely.
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Atleast it will stop the MP'S from drafting more laws as they try to do what is called for the better good of us all. Or in other words Socialism.
I'm sure in all this pile of comments someone has pointed out the fact that we are talking about 15 days, right?
Let's have some truth and perspective here, Mr. Coyne.
Parliament was to reconvene on Jan 25 , now a new budget will be presented on Mar 3. How that translates into " Parliament being suspended for months" is not what I expected when I subscribed to McLeans because Andrew Coyne moved there. Andrew's newly acquired "righteous indignation" is so sadly shallow and vacuous compared to his previous life at the National Post. Thank Allah for Mark Steyn and Feschuk because McLeans is not anxious to offer refunds on subscriptions.
Most Canadians dream of getting six weeks off, with full pay, for a holiday each year. The partisan excuses for Harper shunning his duty to Canadians are, as usual, laughable. But the partisan population is pretty stupid on the whole so it isn't exactly a surprise.
Andrew Coyne has called it like it is and I agree completely with his comments. Hopefully, Canadians will realize that Stephen Harper will do ANYTHING to hold on to power. The least of his concerns are the people of Canada who are struggling to make ends meet and expect our politicians to do the job they get paid to do. Our Governor General should not give in to Harper's every whim unless of course she is angling to get re-appointed to her "Royal" job.
This is offensive and shameful. I do not understand how we let them get away with this. I did not vote for Mr. Harper and his ilk but my family and I suffer the actions of this dictatorship. No where else does any other employed people get a two month break. Do our taxes not pay their salaries? All Canadians should demand a tax rebate for those two months when nothing is getting done by our so called Democratic Government.
Harper is an Oil Company Shah, and anyone who might actually provide Opposition is barred from play.
"Revolt, you thick-skulled idiots" – Fritz the Cat
I'm really surprised at this kind of thinking coming from a person who seemed to display real intelligence as Andrew Coyne usually did. Imagine using words such as dictator, tyrant, King, Hitler etc. to describe Prime Minister Harper. The whole lot of the people making responses here appear to be totally misguided or ignorant of the facts or just brainwashed by their Liberal loyalties. I have watched question period before and it is so irrational nothing getts accomplished on any day. Children from the schools can't believe grow people can display such behaviour. It's a waste of time. Get out into the peace and quiet of their regions and get something worthwhile done. I watched that committee set up to deal with the Afghan detainee situation and it was a Liberal feeding frenzy to try to get something on this Government. A committee as partisan as this one should never have been allowed. Senator George Baker was being interviewed by Tom Clark about the legislation being passed and he was absolutely disgusting in his own contempt for his leader (Ignatieff) and the House of Commons.
So why did Harper Prorogue?
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that. It only takes someone with minimal skils of observation and a few hours of viewing parliament in session during Question Period. It was like watching a preview of ' The Snake Pit'. Even if there was a question instead of an accusation the answer would never have been heard nor was it expected. The partisan committee for studying the Afghan Detainee situation had one purpose and that was to get the Government regardless of the cost to the generals or diplomats that were being interrogated.. It was a disgusting display of partisanship. Many of the liberal senators had chosen to defy their leader and the House of Commons and not put through legislation except on their own terms.
Harper has done and is continuing to do his job. He is not the only Prime Minister to prorogue parliament nor will he be the last. It's just a time out to cool all the hot heads. It's not for 3 months as some of the tyrannts wish to make you believe but about 22 days all told. Who is the liar, the tyrannt, Hitler, the dictator? The accusers are usually the most often the people to be afraid of. It's almost an impossibility to govern in an atmosphere such as is created by the opposition in this parliament. I fear the rabble rousers and the ignorance of the masses far more than Harper. I think he is doing a great job under very strenuous circumstances in dealing with the arrogance of the media and the irrational behaviour of the opposition in their quest for power.
Canadian Democracy spiralling further down the drain, Autocratic bully, Hidden agenda!! Are we in some kind of story of intrigue or espionage story about Prime Minister Harper? Really Andrew I gave you more credit than this. You of all people should be able to see some reason or rational in what Harper is doing and has very little choice in following this direction. Just look at the new Liberal bullying adds coming out. How about the add in which Harper was being assassinated? There was no hue and cry over that one. MacLeans magazine is definitely lowering its standards of late when I think of that stupid drivle you attempted last week in an attempt at humour. Harper is an honest man, a good Canadian and hopefully is not swayed by this disgusting display by some of the media and the liberals. The journalists should all try to be as objective as Bob Fife. He speaks his mind. Does not always approve of the Prime Minister but he is just.