Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

Now is not the time for democracy

by Aaron Wherry on Thursday, January 28, 2010 10:05am - 90 Comments

Conservative MP Ron Cannan explains why it was necessary to prorogue the House.

For him, prorogation is an opportunity for the Conservative government to concentrate on the economy by implementing the next phase of its economic stimulus program and prepare a new budget.

If parliament was in session then the opposition parties could vote non-confidence and force an election before those tasks are complete. “That’s what we don’t want,” said Cannan.

Tags: house of commons, Parliament, prorogation, Prorogue, proroguing, Ron Cannan

More by Aaron Wherry

Mike T.

If Canaan's position has been truly misrepresented he himself should be calling Wherry ASAP and Wherry should give the opportunity to clear up things. Until then I will assume it's a valid summation of views expressed at the time, and you should too.
kcm

As i thought. If this keeps up i do believe i might start to feel a smidgin of sympathy for Harper.
kcm

"If parliament was in session then the opposition parties could vote non-confidence and force an election before those tasks are complete. “That’s what we don’t want,” said Cannan"

That's a beauty!

"Damn those voters! Don't they realize this is serious stuff we're talking about here.They didn' give us our majority…what the hell choice did we have but to prorogue the damn place"!!
http://intensedebate.com/people/sea_n_mountains sea_n_mountains

i could only work up something that amounts to sympathy if i believed he would prefer it otherwise. i simply don't beleive that to be the case to the degree that he doesn't loosen the reigns on those more competent in cabinet or caucus (e.g., Prentice or Strahl who also happen to be decent people) or make an overt effort to attract more talented folks.
http://intensedebate.com/people/SeanStok Sean

Nothing is ever their fault. Ever.

http://intensedebate.com/people/danby danby

Canadians are not, by nature, braggarts.
Stephen Harper's inability to admit mistakes is going to absolutely haunt him

common man

I`m sure Mr. Wherry thanks you for the effort however I don`t think he needs any help hounding gov`t MP`s. I was hoping , just for the sake of balance, Mr. Wherry might compare the work schedule of opp. Mp`s. Probably tomorrow.
kcm

It does look that way…you can't make bricks without straw…but he's had both time and opportunity to find some.

Out There

Who would want to become a Conservative MP, or to work for one? Consider the job description:

- Work in Ottawa, away from friends and loved ones
- Long hours
- No independence or authority: you have to do what you're told
- Surrounded by angry people
- Likely to be blamed if anything goes wrong
- A certain amount of willing suspension of disblief is required

What kind of life is that to live?

kcm

I can't wait to hear the excuses when they do eventually get dumped from office. It's probably the #1 reason they'll keep the cbc around.
http://intensedebate.com/people/TJCook TJCook

Several apologies, considering the number of times Common Man has badmouthed Wherry in this thread alone.
common man

No, you go back and read it again. The direct quote from Cannan is " That`s what we don`t want ". The rest of the link Mr. Wherry uses is not in quotes because the reporter is surmising what was said. When a reporter does not use quotes then the reader should assume it is only an opinion piece and we are left to guess in what context the quoted portion should be taken.
Dave

Blaming the media is what usually happens when things don't quite work out your way.
common man

I`m don`t blame the media. I know they have their reasons for what they write. But I would hope you guys would be more careful before commenting on what you have read.
http://intensedebate.com/people/danby danby

You don't attract top talent when you won't share the reins – and competition is unwelcome when you want the reins all to yourself.
Anon

How about he come down to your place of work and tell you how to do your job?
http://intensedebate.com/people/M_A_N M_A_N

"The rest of the link Mr. Wherry uses is not in quotes because the reporter is surmising what was said "
Well, well. So, according to your expert analysis, this is what the writer inferred.

==sur·mise (sr-mz)
To infer (something) without sufficiently conclusive evidence..==

The reporter INTERVIEWED Cannan, used several quotes in his article. Paraphrasing is what reporters do, because an article composed entirely of quotes is generally incredibly wordy and boring. If you insist upon implying that the reporter is making stuff up, he'll have grounds to dig up your ISP and sue you for defamation.

Before you expound further upon journalistic techniques from your deep reservoir of professional writing knowledge, you might have a look at the following paragraph, the lead of a story from an early January edition of the National Post. No quotes in the paragraph, so it must be an opinion piece, right? o, it's a news story, an interview with the Prime Minister.

Harper not looking to call new election
David Akin, Canwest News Service
Published: Wednesday, January 06, 2010
.OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper doused speculation that he's gunning for a general election this spring, telling Canwest News Service in an interview that he'd rather govern than campaign.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/politics/…
Anon ABC

Wherry's quote, which I c&p above, came directly from the article at Kelowna.com. Unless you are saying that Cannan was unfairly quoted, I am not sure what your point is. Are you?

http://intensedebate.com/people/Jenn_ Jenn_

Come on. Canaan can presumably dress himself in the mornings, and he has managed to find a place to sit in the HoC on more than one occasion. So that tells me he at least has something of a brain, and how can anyone with even the tiniest bit of grey matter come out with a statement basically saying the government wanted to rule but was about to lose its authority so shut down the authority, and not conclude he was misquoted?

I'm as partisan as everyone else, but this is *too* dumb, even for a Conservative! (I hope to God.)
http://intensedebate.com/people/john_g2708 john g

Read it again Anon ABC. Wherry cut and paste from the article correctly, but what was cut and pasted was not a quote from Cannan at all, with the exception of the words "That's what we don't want"; the rest being paraphrasing from the writer.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Thwim Thwim

What else might Canaan have been saying they don't want then?

http://intensedebate.com/people/Jenn_ Jenn_

He might have been saying they don't want an election before those tasks are complete.

Which isn't any different, yet makes all the difference in the world when you don't include "If parliament was in session then the opposition parties could vote non-confidence" in front of it.
http://intensedebate.com/people/john_g2708 john g

I don't know.

In all likelihood this was an honest paraphrase and not an attempt to misrepresent what he did or didn't say, and Cannan really did say something that stupid. It's just sloppy journalism that no quote was provided, and if I'm wrong it certainly wouldn't be the first time that a journalist has taken a Conservative out of context to do a smear job.

http://intensedebate.com/people/john_g2708 john g

Well well well…looks like I was right to be concerned after all. The story has been updated.

Conservative Kelowna-Lake Country MP, Ron Cannan, has asked to clarify remarks he made about prorogation.

Yesterday, Kelowna.com reported that Cannan said one of the reasons why his government decided to suspend parliament was to avoid the possibility of a non-confidence vote forcing an election before it has a chance to table its budget and implement the second phase of its economic stimulus program.

“I have no idea how that came into the conversation, obviously there was some misinterpretation,” Cannan said today.

He also said that his references to a non-confidence vote had to do with what the possibilities are once parliament resumes in March, rather than what might have happened had parliament not been prorogued. “Once the budget is tabled on March 4th, then when parliament’s in session, the opposition parties can vote non-confidence and force an election.”

Chris B

They are engaged in some sort of contest, to see who can come up with the most absurd reason why they prorogued parliament. I am just waiting for "we all got drunk one night and thought how much of a drag QP is, so BAM! Here we are."

Wallace Cleaver

You may be onto something there. Perhaps an early New Year's Eve party that just got out of hand? It might explain why it was a phone call instead of a visit to the GG.

http://intensedebate.com/people/john_g2708 john g

LOL. Harper drunk-dialed the GG?

Anon

"I would have hoped Wherry would have higher standards of what he links to but I guess the quality of the article doesn't enter into the equation of what gets posted."

Still wasting your time, I see, by implying someone is either lying or being journalistically irresponsible, just because you don't like what you read.

I don't know why you're bothering. It's not like this article isn't reporting something the Conservatives haven't said on the record, in a variety of ways, dozens of times already.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack Mitchell

I thought "Harper prorogued to avoid a confidence vote" was supposed to be a Liberal talking point. What gives?!?!?
http://intensedebate.com/people/tsteph tsteph

Q. How many politicians does it take to change a light bulb?
A. 145. One to make the decision and 144 to spin it.
Holly Stick

Ha ha ha! Good one!
http://intensedebate.com/people/Jenn_ Jenn_

Heaven forbid!

However, the other way is making Canaan guilty until proved innocent, so I don't see that our side is more noble–in this instance, I certainly see the progressive side is more noble most of the time!

http://intensedebate.com/people/john_g2708 john g

Apparently I was right to be concerned. The story has been updated to clarify Cannan's comments since the reporter got it wrong

http://intensedebate.com/people/M_A_N M_A_N

"since the reporter got it wrong".

No, what we have here is a classic "I was taken out of context" moment. Bet you the reporter goes out and buys himself a cheap digital recorder so he can legally back up his stories when needed.

I used to get these responses from politicians. I reminded them I recorded every interview, and not once was there a follow up.

common man

I really have to question your ability to assume if you use the name " Wherry " followed by the expression " a valid summation of views expressed ".
http://intensedebate.com/people/s_c_f s_c_f

Funny how Wherry would never write about Cannan in any way, shape or manner unless it involves an attempt to embarrass him.
http://theplaceofbiff.blogspot.com biff

No quote?

Interesting.

Also interesting that this rotting horse is still being beaten.

A sure sign of the lack of substance coming from the opposition.
Mike T.

Can't authorize a money bill outside of a sitting parliament, Mr. Cannan. Although to be fair I guess you could plan one.
http://intensedebate.com/people/john_g2708 john g

If parliament was in session then the opposition parties could vote non-confidence and force an election before those tasks are complete.

This is a bit of sloppy journalism. This does not appear to be a direct quote from Ron Cannan. It looks to be the writer offering his own spin.

I'm not saying that Cannan didn't make an argument to this effect. But if he did make this argument, then the journalist owes it to his readers to put in a direct quote. The way this is written it looks like the author is offering his own opinion.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Tceh Tceh

The Conservatives prorogued because the opposition was gaining momentum on the Afghan detainee issue. The Conservatives did not want any further attention focused on the Afghan issue. It's that simple, all the rest is spin.
http://intensedebate.com/people/YSP YSP

They can always pull a Grant Devine & govern via Orders of Council. Call it their "Royal Prorogue-ative".
Anon

"I'm not saying that Cannan didn't make an argument to this effect."

No, you're just implying it. If it's a burning issue with you, stop wasting your time and ask Cannan yourself if that's what he said/meant.
burlivespipe

What came first, sloppy governance or sloppy journalism? Let the muppet have his cake and say it was the wordsmithies' fault; but why are we to continue giving our so-called leaders a gimmee as they stumble, bumble, lie and deceive all the way to their secret skull cabinet meetings?
Mike T.

There's no requirement for it to be in a quote. it's either misrepresenting their position (which since this kind of thing has been said before, doesn't seem too outlandish), or its valid.
http://intensedebate.com/people/john_g2708 john g

That's because the reporter didn't due his due diligence by putting in a quote. Presumably if he had done his job properly I would have no reason to dispute this article.
http://intensedebate.com/people/tedbetts tedbetts

I said this before but it bears repeating. The worst part of the prorogation mistake from the Conservatives point of view is that it means Harper can't just walk down the hall and start kickign and shouting at his MPs to shut the f**k up.
http://intensedebate.com/people/TJCook TJCook

Wal-Mart doesn't allow employees to have personal visitors.

I kid!
Out There

You're probably right. But sometimes I think that the Conservatives prorogued Parliament because they were just tired of having to deal with that pesky opposition asking all those impertinent questions.

Now they can plot in peace. Oh, sorry – "recalibrate".