A tsunami of outrage is building towards Prime Minister Stephen Harper for suspending Parliament until early March.
To which the appropriate response should be: Give us a break!
It taxes credulity to suppose that a majority — or even a substantial minority — of Canadians are riled up about Parliament being prorogued.
Have you ever heard anyone say: “Gracious, I really miss Parliament sitting.”
When you examine the record over the years, the country chugs happily along, and more or less cooperatively, when Parliament isn’t in session and politicians aren’t bickering and invoking phony and genuine issues for political advantage.
That said, the Liberal proposal seems reasonable and workable that the House of Commons should have a voice in future prorogations, and committees should be able continue their work while the House is dormant.
We are told by voices on the CBC that people are outraged Harper suspended Parliament, denying (temporarily) the people of representation in Ottawa. Protests in Ottawa, Toronto, Halifax, Edmonton, Vancouver, etc., totaling some 50 communities, are presented as a groundswell that has cost Harper and the Tories their 15 point lead over the federal Liberals, who are now roughly equal in poll popularity with the Tories.
Nonsense. It’s not hard to get disapproval of any political party in a poll question. Because Stephen Harper isn’t cuddly or charismatic, doesn’t mean his rival Michael Ignatieff is, or Canadians won’t vote for Harper’s party if given the chance.
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Parliamentary procedure is being followed in Parliament! What will the Conservatives do next? They should go smoke some Red Herring.
The “left” are pounding this for all they’re worth. I’m far from certain they realize how stupid they look to informed Canadians. “Sorta” like democrats south of the 49th.
Thousands of Cindy Sheehan’s screaming in unison. I just shake my head.
I remember a prorogation of many years ago, and the only comments I heard were, I hope they never come back. Business has never been so good. At least they can’t raise my taxes, or take away some of my freedoms.
I have heard nothing in the coffee shops, malls, Tims, about anyone being upset by this, but everyone was talking last year when the coup was threatened. And they were not nice comments re the coalition planners.
People are not talking about this prorogation like the did the coup attempt. That is the big difference. And all those that come out to protest the coalition will vote for PMSH for fear of another coup.
I’m far from certain they realize how stupid they look to informed Canadians.
Therein lies the problem, Jack. Despite the internet informed Canadians may be in the minority. At least that’s what the opposition is counting on. Otherwise they’re slitting their own wrists. Sadly, these Canadians are the types who P.T. Barnum was thinking about when he made his famous quote and who’er jumping up and down OD’ing on koolaid like UV.
Has anyone ever done a poll to see how many people actually watch,CBC or CTV news?I know they have Corner gas and a bunch of good American programs that people watch,but just the news,does anyone watch anymore.??
I’m tuned to Fox News all day everyday Bert. I don’t know what others watch.
Call me addicted.
What’s really pathetic is that so many Canadians think that QP is actually the government in action. The way it currently operates QP has got to be the most unproductive waste of government time ever imagined. The entire opposition’s objective during QP is to obstruct and diminish the Conservative government’s ability to effectively govern. It is not I would suggest the opposition’s job to take any initiative of the sitting goverment (regardless of who they may be) and to twist, spin and fabricate details to make it appear to be the absolute worst decision, the worst thing for Canada that anybody could imagine. But different parties prompt different reactions from the MSM which is so blantantly evident with the hysteria over this current situation, versus the ho hum yawn nothing to see here folks reaction of the MSM when it was a Liberal government decision to do so time and time again. As if that was not enough to make blood shoot out of a the average intelligent person’s eyes. Oh no, they’re not done yet. Following every QP during the time the CPC is in power the agenda driven left leaning talking heads at the CBC rev up their own spin machine to keep the kool aid flowing. Watch the British QP and then watch the Canadian equivalent. Question Period – What a bunch of intellectually challenged ill mannered colonials we portray ourselves to be.
Re: #4 — There’s hope. I picked up on a story today and I”ll feature it tomorrow but for now here you go. You can think about it as you go to bed.
Re#6. Me too, Jack. And this is just one of the reason why. It’s got absolutely nothing to do with the ‘bevy of babes’ FOX has on air either…..honest.
http://www.mrc.org/biasalert/2010/20100126052619.aspx
Re: # 10 — “Who knew?”
It is not just the left who are angered by Harper’s decision to prorogue. It was not just the left who were angry last year when Harper misled the Canadian people with his ridiculous argument that the Opposition coalition deal was a usurpation of power. Many of us who are on the right of the political spectrum and who admire the parliamentary system are alarmed at what the Conservatives are saying and doing. In recent days, we have even had Jason Kenney suggesting that Parliament is a hindrance to a minister doing his work. The lack of respect for the institution — not its current members — evinced by that sort of comment is truly appalling.
I think it is a rather sad spectacle to see Conservative Party supporters stooping to defend actions & statements that fly in the face of all that their party argued for years before. It is especially disturbing that they are willing to countenance the government’s lying to Parliament (over the detainee issue) that the prorogation was designed to cover up.
BTW, #7 – I agree wholeheartedly with your comments about QP. Again, however, it is not just the Opposition, for all one needs to do is watch the government’s behaviour in QP to see that both sides are at fault. The sad thing is that the governing party, or at least many of its members, including the PM, are on record as deploring the sort of antics they now engage in during QP.
Adler did a piece on the newest gadget by apple, and his last comment of the day;
I think more people will be talking about this tomorrow than the Obama’s speech tonight.
He might be right. But, if our media gives it a lot of coverage, the coalition will have to take a back seat for a few hours.
Notice that Iggy’s presser today made sure the doors were closed, not open like yesterday.
Re# 11. I agree with you…….as I stated “regardless of who they may be”
It is especially disturbing that they are willing to countenance the government’s lying to Parliament (over the detainee issue) that the prorogation was designed to cover up. (#11)
So are you stating that is is disturbing that Liberals are willing to countenance the government’s lying to Parliament and covering up the Somalia issue (prorogation), and the report on Adscam (prorogation)?
Cunctator Says: “with his ridiculous argument that the Opposition coalition deal was a usurpation of power.”
Immediatly following an election and having a prepared plan that involved parties that did not get the votes needed to govern, and propped up by a party that is dedicated to the destruction of Canada, with conditions that would have made it impossible to get rid of them for 4 years, (In writing no less) PMSH nailed it squarely on the head. The coalition “DEAL” was a usurpation of power.
“evinced by that sort of comment is truly appalling.” An honest comment that being able to work uninterruped allows for more work to get done is “truly appalling”. Not in my books, it isn’t
“It is especially disturbing that they are willing to countenance the government’s lying to Parliament (over the detainee issue) that the prorogation was designed to cover up.”
Nice of you, being from the right and all, to come to the conclusion that the Government was lying and that the prorogation was designed to cover something up. I call BS.
And the nice thing is I don’t have to agree with you or you with me. Only the lefty’s would outlaw it. Remember, they’re the ones that kill their own, for the good of the state, don’t ya’ know.
The only coffee shop talk I heard about proroguing was in favor of proroguing!
Reading Churchill’s “My Early Life” recently – he describes how in 1892 Gladstone won the election and “The new parliament, having met to change the Administation, was in accordance with the wise and happy practice of those days prorogued for a six months’ holiday”.
In the parliamentary system proroguing has been going on forever not that the ill informed boneheads in our media would be aware of it..
Thank you for the great tip, lots of useful information. I never comment on those blogs, even when the content is great
#17 – absolutely true, and no one can question that history. However, it is the circumstances of the prorogation that are an issue. For example, Chamberlain intended to prorogue Parliament in Summer 1939, in part to avoid the House of Commons as international tensions heated up and his policies were revealed as a failure. He was opposed successfully by many in his own party. Context is everything.
Summary of latest polls:
Angus Reid: Cons 33%, Grits 29%, ndp 19%
Ekos: Cons 31.6%, Grits 31.1%, ndp 14.6%
Decima: Cons 32%, Grits 31%, ndp 15%
Well I guess the prorogation thing has done some real damage but I wonder if it’s maybe the wall to wall negative coverage by the MSM ?
I notice that even though we consider that the MSM has less credibility than it once had it still is a force to contend with and a consistent negative spin by them does influence the general public that aren’t political junkies of the left or the right that at least know the issues even if they disagree on just about everything: When the MSM turned against Dion after his amateur video disasters and that really bad interview before the last election the MSM became very negative. When Ignatieff disappointed they also turned very negative for a while in the Fall and this affected the polls for the Liberals very negatively.
Now the MSM seem to be pulling all the stops in trying to portray Harper in the worst light possible over many many weeks and our numbers are dropping ! Since the margin between a minority Conservative or a Minority Liberal minority Government I think is just 5% of the vote going either way and that for a Conservative Majority the margin might be just 8% to 10 % more votes going our way the MSM seems still able to push at least 5% of the vote in the direction they want unless there is a strong current of satisfaction or dissatisfaction in public opinion too strong to be influenced just by a bogus ” spin ” ? Don’t know if this is true ? Just asking your collective opinions !
Note last year around this time Ignatieff was new and shiny and at 38% and Harper at 31% or so:
Just a little less depressing now but no guarantee we won’t see the same again or worse.
I wonder if we are not better off when Parliament is in session and Ignatieff is talking ? So far the less Canadians hear him the more the Liberals numbers go up, with Donolo giving advice Ignatieff might be doing better, or at least until he flip flops once too often ? One can hope LOL.
Years of MSM piling onto PMSH has had an impact. But PMSH has done conservatism in this country a great service and that momentum is building even if he does not benefit from it personally in the polls. In Toronto the chattering class will tell you that his big problems are that his eyes are too close together and he’s a Christian, gotta watch out for those Christians you know.
However, going forward all governments in the Western world are going broke so socialism and its excessive entitlements is dying and the demographics of baby boomers will gradually push it over the edge. There is no other choice but a return to fiscal responsibility. Ottawa has a $50 billion deficit, Queens Park $25 and Toronto is racking up deficits and debts; but there is only one wallet to service all three levels of debt. When interest rates inevitably rise, all hell will break loose.
In other words from Obama to David Miller (BTW, both Harvard lawyers with zero real world experience) the chickens are coming home to roost. Governments are simply trying to deliver too many services and entitlements and there is no one competent enough in politics to manage all these government monopoly businesses dominated by unions. Governments will have to dramatically shrink and we will gradually vote with our wallets for local issues that need attention.. e.g. pot holes and public transit, NOT Day Care run by CUPE.
So polls are currently irrelevant. Even Jack Layton and his commie friend Duceppe would not have any fiscal room to move. Therefore the budget by PMSH and Flaherty is what will soon be influencing the polls and proroguing will be history.
The NP has done an interesting comparison of HM PM Harper, the before and after story.
‘The changing face of Stephen Harper’
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/politics/story.html?id=2493129
Has the PM become a lieberal?
“Has the PM become a liberal?”
No but unlike the US, Canada is still too liberal. So in a minority situation PMSH has to compromise and sometimes he looks Liberal; e.g. like spending more than he would have on a stimulus (that isn’t a waste when on capital projects) but doesn’t really kick in until the recession is over. That is an example of his big problem. When he does that he annoys Conservatives who vote the polls down. But at the same time the blue Liberals who might support him think that ( given proroguing etc) if he ever gets a majority that he will do horrible things with his power, like roll back SSM and disallow abortions, i.e. that social conservatism will take over.
In other words, there is fear in liberal mega cities that PMSH will be forced by the “perceived” strong Alberta redneck base in the CPC to take Toronto’s chattering class and make them eat steak at the Petroleum Club when all they can digest is tofu and greens.
Most of us don’t believe PMSH gives a fig one way or the other about social conservatism. But how can he overcome that perception? Unless a couple of his Cabinet Ministers come out of the closet, which might help. At least it would help us Toronto conservatives to be able to tell the chattering class to stuff it and look at the facts. We need some help.
Meanwhile I’m also tired of lazy journalists like Kevin Libin, maybe he’s upset because he isn’t getting a Senate appointment.
Well, I read in one of the PM’s bio’s that in his youth, Harper was a member of his (Etobicoke) high school’s ’young liberals group’ but resigned when Truedough came to power.
Perhaps that explains his present centralists policies.
Has the PM become a lieberal?
No, not until he starts accepting under-the-table cash in brown paper bags. Though I think the party as a whole has moved perceptibly to the left.
As far as involvement in the young liberals, I wouldn’t read too much into it. After all he must been only about 12 years old when he quit.