The recent prorogation is one that has divided the country, undoubtedly. Despite the historical precedent to do so, some Canadians feel deprived of their right to watch Question Period during the Olympics. Yes, I too will miss CPAC's stellar coverage of parliamentary proceedings, particularly the senate special committee meetings on aging (it's real, click on it) and the House rules committee.
However, may I humbly suggest that if Prime Minister Harper had continued with business as usual, the Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, CBC, CTV, and the rest of the media that hates all-things-conservative, would have insisted that Harper is trying to shove things through parliament while the country was distracted with the Olympics... "HOW UNDEMOCRATIC" they would yell, "he's PM Atilla" they would cry.
Yawn.
Yes, you know you can envision the headline: "Harper rams through gun registry law while nation focused on VANOG", or something of the like. Never mind that the Libs shut down parliament after the Somalia affair and dismissed an entire regiment with proud tradition of the Canadian forces. Oops, yeah awkward, let's avoid that one.
And the Libs (and some Dippers) can't complain about Harper's prorogue as being undemocratic considering they've stalled, delayed, and opposed every single effort at Senate reform since 1867, so spare me the overblown rhetoric.
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6 comments:
Given the crisis in Haiti, developments in Kabul and immigration/border issues, it is a good thing that Ministers will be able to work vs. preparing for whiney question period with its non-issues. I will not miss the 4-day per week spectacle until our Olympic guests have left.
Well said, the hatefest from the angry left has been consistent since they lost power in 2006.
Instead of rebuilding and offering an alternative to the present government they have recycled the old tired promises of National Daycare and becoming a Greener country.
Yes, absolutely. No matter WHAT Harper does, the Libs and much of the media will spin it as negatively as possible.
So if there was no prorogue, and Flaherty brought in an "awkward" budget for the Libs to support, I suspect the Libs would have responded by playing their "Olympics" card--Harper is trying to force an election, when Canadians would rather cheer on our athletes, but we won't play along with Harper's Machiavellian plans, yadda yadda.
So now, when the Olympics are out of the way, how will Donolo spin the Libs acceptance of the budget ? Especially when Layton will be out there with something like: We will not stand by while Harper dismantles our democracy, and Flaherty dismantles our social programs, yadda yadda.
I've found prorogation a risky move because the usual suspects - the opposition and their media allies - would of course put a negative spin on it, and have a field day inventing and ascribing the worst kind of motivations possible to the government - the PM in particular - for proroguing.
One of those spins is that, with Parliament prorogued, the opposition is unable to keep the government to account in QP.
However, I am somewhat 'reassured' by re-reading this Paul Wells piece, written back in June 2009:
http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/06/05/stop-the-madness/print/
"Stop the madness [of Question Period]
... Recent highlights have included an afternoon spent debating whether Pierre Poilievre, the government’s utility infielder, was right to describe carbon taxation as a “tar baby.” On another day, opposition members called 22 times for Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to be fired. Probably after, oh I don’t know, the 15th time they could have moved on. ...
Nor is this daily wallow an accident. It is meticulously planned and rehearsed by hundreds of politicians and their staffers across the parliamentary precinct. They rise before dawn to pore over the headlines and plot the day’s stratagems. Opposition members start bidding at breakfast for a part in the show. Government members meet over lunch to rehearse their evasions and their outrage.
Question period isn’t the root of what ails our politics. But it is most certainly the hub, the swamp, the KICK ME HERE sign where everything we hate about our politics converges every day. The half-truths, the confected fury, the mayfly attention span, the ritual humiliation of the thoughtful or eccentric. And above all, the waste: of time, energy, hope."
IOW, a great deal of time and energy is devoted by our MPs to the circus of QP.
If that's what prorogation has put a temporary stop to, then prorogation is worth it, IMO.
However, being a devotee of the 'high drama' of QP, I confess I shall miss it and eagerly await its return. ;-)
Well, lets face it. Our Olympians are the best politicians we have. They represent us on the world stage, work tirelessly for national pride, and get peanuts for it. Porouging Parliament was a great idea, let our Athletes take the headlines in the news, and let them establish our foriegn representation.
Ottawa can pause for as long is wants. With the Minority government and dysfunctional opposition, there really isn't much going on anyways. Might as well save on heating and operational costs.
aj
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